Journalism education in South Africa: Shifts and dilemmas

Abstract

In this article the focus falls on journalism education in relation to an agenda of social equality and justice. Its intention is to consider journalism education in relation to this purpose, and to do this it looks both at past and present journalism education programmes in South Africa. While discussing other programmes, it maintains a particular focus on Journalism and Media Studies (JMS) at Rhodes University in the Eastern Cape, as the teaching programme has stood apart from others. The intention is to be both descriptive and to pose questions about journalism education in the future – hopefully in a way that is relevant to South Africa, Brazil and other southern countries. The teaching programmes and curriculum choices are discussed in relation to the current context of higher education and the history of journalism and media studies nationally, which responded to debates emanating from northern/industrialised countries.