South Africa : media and journalists in a divided society

This is a booklet on the media, journalists and censorship in South Africa, presented at the 1988 conference of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The contributions highlight the present state of censorship, journalists in detention or under banning orders, the world of trade unions and journalists' organizations, the position of the mainstream and the alternative press and the views of the two affiliates of the IFJ, the Media Workers Association of South Africa (MWASA) and the Southern African Society of Journalists. T. Mazwai traces the arduous path of the MWASA from the origins of an elitist black journalists' organization to an industrial union for all employees in the media industry. P. Sidley describes the dilemmas of impartial reporting, independent journalism and taking sides in a deeply divided society. She also contributes a piece on who owns who in the South African media. I. Manoim tells the story of Pretoria's war against the alternative press. I. van Kessel presents the outsiders view, with some historical background on the position of trade unions and journalists' organizations amidst the confusing array of anti-apartheid movements. D. Dison describes censorship under the state of emergency