A complicated but symbiotic affair: The relationship between mainstream media and social media in the coverage of social protests in southern Africa

Abstract

Debates on the relationship between mainstream and social media have sputtered on in the academy, especially during crisis situations and social protests. Mostly based on conjecture and anecdotal evidence, there is little theorisation on the relationship between the two mediums in different contexts. Far from being competitors, mainstream and social media have converged in complex ways to broaden the mediated public sphere in southern Africa. While social media were instrumental in breaking news during social protests, mainstream media weighed in with verification, contextualisation and amplification. The convergence between the two public spheres has necessitated the emergence of collaborative journalism practices, making heard the voices of previously silenced and delegitimised activists.