Covid-19 challenges young journalists

A research report released on Monday by the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) shows the devastating effect the national lockdown has had on the media industry in South Africa.

Between 300 and 400 journalists have lost their jobs or have been temporarily laid off due to the consequences of the national lockdown, implemented to stop the spread of the novel Coronavirus. 

Smaller publishers were unable to access emergency funding and some journalists were forced to take salary cuts of up to 45% because of declining advertising revenue.

Lia Snijman, a 22-year-old journalist at StellenboschNews.com and freelancer at Daily Maverick, explained how it has become challenging to be a journalist working from home. “There are fewer positive stories to cover because sport games and general “events” have been cancelled. I think I’m a better journalist when I talk to people face-to-face,” she said. 

Despite the stress that the national disaster can have on individuals, young journalists must take this golden opportunity to write, start blogs, join new businesses and even join some of the big newsrooms, she said.

“If you’re struggling to write or find work during Covid-19, that’s okay. There’s a global pandemic going on. If you do find work – fantastic, you will be able to handle almost anything afterwards. People are now looking for good information (or sometimes a distraction) and if you can offer it, people will read what you write,” she said. 

Dennis Delport, a 23-year-old journalist at Netwerk24, highlights a positive outcome the pandemic has had on his work. “My contact base and network of sources have grown tremendously since the spread of Covid-19, as I was placed on various WhatsApp groups where I receive information daily. Constantly working with the same people, like for example spokespersons from the Department of Health, establishes trust, which makes them more accessible,” he said. 

Nothing could prepare him for what would hit the world a few months after his student years, he said. “To some extent, I am grateful that the Covid-19 pandemic occurred so early in my career, but sometimes I wonder if the highlight of my career is happening right now and whether we will ever report on something as big as the pandemic. Time will tell,” he added. 

Ané van Zyl, a 23-year-old journalist at Netwerk24, said that it is difficult to highlight the benefits of working during the pandemic because of its drastic impact on the country and its people. “What I have noticed is that as reporters we were forced to expand and sharpen our knowledge of science. We need to make sure everything we write about the spread, prevention and nature of the virus is accurate and grounded in science. I think it makes us better and more versatile journalists,” she said. 

It is a privilege to work as a digital journalist at this time, she added. “We can get the news right away and we are more than ever aware of the great responsibility we have for correctly reporting and interpreting our world to our readers,” she said. 

According to Africa Portal, a research repository on African affairs located within the office of the South African Institute of International Affairs at Wits, media houses must invest more time and effort in online journalism for South African journalists to ensure that journalism maintains its role in democracy. “This will entail hard decisions, but media owners must be practical: invest digital resources into saving their product, capacitate staff with digital skills and embrace innovation and creativity to build a strong online presence.”

This is confirmed by the statistics revealed in the study conducted by Sanef. “News websites saw double-digit growth in their audience numbers [since the outbreak of Covid-19], with News24, Business Insider, The Citizen, Fin24, SABC and EWN growing their traffic by more than 50% in March,” Sanef reported. 

The video below from EWN provides some insight into how journalists are operating during the Covid-19 pandemic.