By Zweli Martin Dlamini
Africa-Press – Eswatini. The media as an institution, consists of both the independent and State journalists with different roles in informing the public about issues impacting their welfare, there’s absolutely no journalist who is bigger or more important than other media practitioners, all of us we are serving the public in different roles of journalism.
The different roles in journalism include investigative journalism, political reporting, sports, community, tourism, environment, business, culture and entertainment among others.
Even though the independent media normally becomes popular with the masses but, independent journalists cannot form a fully functioning media institution without State journalists and therefore, anyone undermining one pillar of the media is actually weakening the entire media as an institution.
We don’t want to see lunatic ‘fools’ hiding in church to assault State reporters saying they are not journalists, who gave the Anglican Church the authority to decide who must a journalist in this country?.
Giyani Msibi, a journalist of the State owned Eswatini TV was assaulted last week by the Mbabane Anglican Church members and, we were subsequently told that, Eswatini TV, Swazi Observer and other reporters are not journalists, they write or report State propaganda.
Clearly, some people are missing the point here, constructive criticism against the media is allowed, you can fairly criticize journalists to enable the media to produce quality news but, insulting or assaulting a journalist because you believe he/she is reporting news that does not favor or thrill you, must be condemned.
It’s true that many people like the independent media because of it’s role in exposing corruption and holding those in power accountable but, without State journalists, the media as an institution cannot fully function because there are developmental issues that are covered by the State media.
Maybe, the Eswatini National Association of Journalists(ESNAJ) must consider partnering with other international partners like the European Union(EU), the Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organizations(CANCO) and the United States Embassy among others, and launch a project that seeks to educate the public about the role of the media in society.
Clearly, some people assault journalists out of ignorance and perhaps, we must also blame ourselves for failing to educate them about the role of the media as the Fourth Estate institution.
But having suggested that, what the Anglican Church ‘fools’ did to Eswatini TV journalist Giyani Msibi is barbaric and the level of stupidity, we don’t expect such conduct from people claiming to be Christians.
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