What is the state of South African journalism?

Against profound transformations impacting on the journalism institution globally, this article investigates the contemporary state of South African journalism, inferred mainly from studying journalists themselves. Journalists are studied here because intrinsically they are a superior component in news gathering, analysis and publishing processes. If ethical, journalists are a conduit through which an informed citizenry is created. This article, then, explores three intertwined factors impacting on local journalism: the broader political-economic context within which journalism is practised; the specific media markets/institutions for which journalists work; and journalists themselves. Although the former two aspects are outlined in broader terms, local journalists are specifically studied in terms of their social/demographic profiles; job satisfaction; professional orientation and social responsibility; and perception of differences between old and new media. The type of city (metro or provincial) where they ply their trade is also investigated. In total, 150 journalists were interviewed. The conclusions reached are that local journalists are job insecure; changing demographically; adopting digital/social media journalism; in need of a bigger democratic space; and defined by growing, independent digital/online journalism that is more interpretive.