Representation of the illicit drug scourge in the South African press : a study of selected newspapers

Abstract

The study examines the representation of the drug scourge in the South African press with a focus on selected newspapers, namely the Daily Sun, The Sowetan, and The Citizen publications. The objectives of the study were to interrogate the editorial role of the selected newspapers in reporting illicit drug consumption, determine the framing of news reports on the coverage of illicit drugs, and analyse challenges that impede journalists’ editorial role in presenting news reports on the consumption of illicit drugs. In addition, the study purposed to recommend an editorial tool kit to benefit a dissuasive campaign against the rampant consumption of illicit drugs in South Africa. It draws from the framing and accumulation theoretical propositions to underpin the study, and this is complemented by a detailed literature review on the press’ representation of (illicit) drugs and drug abuse. The study employed the qualitative research approach and a descriptive design where data were collected through qualitative content analysis and a piloted in-depth interview method. Qualitative content analysis was used to determine news frames in the news reports about drug abuse whereas thematic analysis was applicable in determining the editorial role and challenges that impede journalistic practice in reporting the drugs scourge. The study noted that, a majority of the frames and editorial approaches to the coverage of the drug scourge were largely not beneficial to an effective anti-illicit drug campaign in South Africa. Instead, coverage of the selected newspapers yielded peripheral angles with emphasis on crime and violence; race-oriented, gendered, and class infused frames. This was further compounded by the press’ focalisation on the scare-alarmist frame; foreignerscapegoating; perpetrating the helpless frame; blame frame, and inept interventionist frames which lacked the capacity to generate a nuanced focalisation to stir the discourse on the drug scourge. In the end, the study concludes that there were both editorial and structural limitations to the social construction of the illicit drug scourge in the selected newspapers. Hence, the study has recommended a self-designed editorial tool kit to benefit a dissuasive press campaign against the rampant consumption of illicit drugs in South Africa.