'Making Public Life Work': Can Public Journalism Be Used as a Tool to Further Development in South Africa?

摘要

This master of journalism thesis outlines how public journalism can be used as a development tool in South Africa. The thesis explains how the concept of public journalism, which allows journalists to get involved in their communities rather than being neutral observers in order to contribute to a better democratic society, can be used in South Africa to foster democratic and social development from a "bottom-up" approach. The thesis includes a discussion about the role of the media in a democratic society, as well as notions of democracy and development, to argue that journalists must be participants in debates about their society. This is even more important in the context of developing countries, such as South Africa, which is undergoing a significant transition from years of struggle under apartheid to an emerging developed democracy.