STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA REPORT 2021 6 STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA REPORT FOR 2021 BACKGROUND E VEN before the global pandemic descended upon African shores, the media ecosystem in southern Africa was afflicted with numerous challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic brought the industry hurtling towards the minefield of issues it had been grappling with, into sharper focus: Dwindling advertising revenue was now reduced to a trickle; Increasing production costs no longer mattered as businesses closed down; Already shrinking newsrooms were further reduced in size as media outlets were forced to lay off staff; From dealing with seepage of skilled staff from newsrooms, there was a dramatic move to the introduction of shift work; From retaining its relevance amidst waning public trust, the media was propelled to capture the public’s fleeting and easily diverted attention away from unverified information on online platforms; New business models came into consideration with big tech like Google and Meta attracting almost half of all global digital advertising spend, media outlets are looking into new business models; The sector’s deeper commitment to maintaining and elevating professional standards were being pitted against the growing industry of skilfully targeted mis- and disinfodemic campaigns; The escalation of attacks on the media by State and non-State actors, members of political parties on all sides as well as the private sector protecting their illicit deals; The rise in authoritarian states’ use of the law to persecute journalists and restrict the free flow of information; The disturbing escalation of online violence particularly against female journalists. This pressure cooker situation, has to an extent battered and bruised the media, but it has also fortified the sector to look inward and to strategically rail against the constricting space and the controls around access to information, media freedom and freedom of expression and at the same time connect these rights to issues of media sustainability, professionalism, online and offline safety and protection of journalists and in particular women. This inspiration that the media and media advocacy organisations are looking for can be found in the very document that African freedom of expression and access to information advocacy organisations presented to the world during World Press Freedom Day celebrations — the Windhoek+30 Declaration. In fact, the 18 November adoption of the principles contained in the Windhoek+30 Declaration is indicative of its significance. The adoption was via a unanimous vote in favour of Namibia’s resolution by the 193 Member States at the 41st session of the UNESCO General Conference. (1) The Windhoek+30 Declaration, which places the notion of “information as a public good” is building on MISA’s guiding star — the historic Windhoek Declaration launched three decades ago. This historic text went on to become a universal declaration calling for a free, independent and pluralistic press and gave birth to World Press Freedom Day. The Windhoek+30 Declaration, which places the notion of information as a public good at the heart of the media, provides an ideal springboard for the media to ponder the many issues at the core of its struggles, particularly when engaging around the topic of viability and sustainability. The Declaration calls upon all governments to create positive enabling environments for freedom of expression and access to information online and offline in line with international guarantees of these rights. It urges governments to ensure a free, independent and pluralistic media, through adopting appropriate legal measures in a transparent manner and following adequate public consultation, guaranteeing the exercise of journalism free of governmental interference, promoting universal access to the internet and taking measures to reinforce the safety of journalists. Together with the revised African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) Declaration on Access to Information and Freedom of Expression, the Windhoek+30 Declaration offers the most solid building block to fostering media freedom safeguards which encompass — safety, sustainability and professionalism — from which to springboard advocacy initiatives.