Disrupted for Life: An Analysis of Journalist Job Losses in South Africa—at Odds with Journalism’s Function in a Democracy

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article is an explication of the experiences of journalist job losses in South Africa as digitisation in newsrooms began and then accelerated in this age of misinformation, disinformation and propaganda. Theoretically, the article is framed through one of the important roles of journalism in a democracy: that journalists make an enormous contribution to the public by shining the spotlight on those with power. In addition, journalists are meant to serve the public by being reliable conduits of information. Yet if newsrooms are depleted of staff, especially of senior journalists, how can these functions be fulfilled? The methods of research here include a survey and interviews with journalists and unionists. This shows the traumatic transitions from full-time jobs in newsrooms to freelance or “gig” work to public relations or just being “broke” and unemployed. It also shows how journalists could hardly fulfil their roles to deepen democracy given the precarity of their job situations.