SECTOR 2 “Journalists operate in a context where patriarchy is still very much alive in society, in the newsrooms... It is difficult for female journalists to break out of that. Systems need to be put in place to enable more women to tell their stories.” Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 1.7 (2010: 2.6; 2008: n/a; 2006: n/a) 2.8 All media fairly reflect the voices of society in its ethnic, linguistic, religious, political and social diversity. The media tends to cover issues relating mostly to the influential and wealthy elite, regardless of race, and does not fairly represent the views of the majority of people who are black and who live in “invisible spaces”. An exception to this neglectful tendency is when there is a riot, for example. While some minority voices are represented, for example black lesbians, their stories only seem to be told because they are murdered. This relates to media houses seeking to increase their audience through sensationalism. “In general the media do not represent people who are different and who are just going about their everyday lives. Of course there is a commercial interest underpinning the sector and drama sells.” “Commercial newspapers face a declining market so they will do what they can to stay in business. If we published a newspaper that NGO activists wanted to read, it would not survive.” There is considerable stereotyping as well. For example, foreign nationals are often represented in the media as victims of xenophobia or as drug dealers. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SOUTH AFRICA 2013 39