FJT skeptical about transformation in media industry

The Forum of Journalists for Transformation (FJT) has painted a gloomy picture of transformation within the media industry, this after Media24 released its transformation report on Thursday. Media24’s report was in response to the report on Transformation of Print and Digital Media in September 2013, where The Print and Digital Media Transformation Task Team (PDMTT), tasked individual companies in recommendations and ultimately affecting change within the print media industry as a whole.
The FJT was established with the aim to realise  transformation in the South African media landscape where black journalists and media practitioners continue to face widespread discrimination and margilanisation. The Forum claims that the media industry is failing to acknowledge the lack of transformation which is evident through not only the treatment of its members but media coverage as well. “An example of double standards employed by media was displayed in an article that claimed long-serving chairman and CEO of Net 1, Serge Belamant, was duped into thinking he had a PhD, yet for black leaders, media houses use a harsher tone. In addition to that we have seen many other examples of black journalists losing their jobs as soon as they start questioning or disrupting the status quo. Some elements within the media industry in South Africa are a bastions for white supremacy and that narrative has to change in order to realise effective transformation in the industry,” said Ayanda Mdluli, the national spokesperson of the FJT.
Media24’s black ownership currently stands at 35% and a major contributing factor to this happens to be the Welkom Yizani black economic empowerment (BEE) offering, South Africa’s biggest in the media industry at roughly 91 000 Shareholders. Media24’s board representation is 60% black and 50% female, while 65% female and 55% black make up executive management respectively. The media group claims to have invested R53m on training, with a whopping 70% allocated to its black employees. R2.2m has also invested in SETA accredited training for independent publishers from rural and semi-urban areas. They have launched the Hub@Media24 in partnership with CapaCiTi to foster a generation of black engineers.
Mdluli said Media24’s 35% black-ownership is not good enough in a country where over 80% of its citizens are classified as black. “While we commend Media24’s role in helping community media’s development, more needs to be done for ownership to reflect South Africa’s demographic landscape,” said Mdluli. He believes that true transformation may be attained through government employing different tactics which include revising its ad spend allocation to focus on black owned media entities that uphold the constitutional obligations of empowerment and transformation.