What is press freedom worth to a country?

[Click here for the web version of this email]( [Daily Maverick] What is press freedom worth? A message from Pauli Van Wyk, Scorpio Investigative Journalist “Media freedom” is this fuzzy concept that your favourite journalist deems the holy grail while those on the right of the political spectrum abuse it in order to spew their hatred against “the others”. Many earthlings ignore it's importance because they’re just so busy adulting and its nebulous nature can mean it's often overlooked. We’re neither richer or poorer without a free media, right? Wrong. A journalist’s core job is to help people understand the world they live in. We go to great lengths to be your eyes and ears, the journey often descending into dangerous places and situations. A nation should make decisions based on the information it digests and how that information intersects with their wants and needs. Tragedy enters when we do not, or cannot, discern between credible, reliable news as opposed to the “alternative facts” bandied about by anyone with a smartphone or an interest in voting patterns. Think Brexit, Turkey, Venezuela and Donald Trump and the impact on the citizens of those countries, and the world. South African press freedom faces some serious threats. Online violence meted out against journalists recently reached predatory levels, especially for those who shone a spotlight on especially EFF corruption. We were called “satan”, “fake news” and “crazy” while being threatened with rape and death. EFF President, Julius Malema, published radio and TV journalist Karima Brown’s private telephone number online, instigating a vitriolic and savage attack from his supporters. When the ANC is criticised, they revive the threat of a media tribunal and talk about licences to practice journalism. Politicians and big business have learnt that they could win a public debate when, on the same set of facts, they’ll lose hands down in a court. So what we’re getting dished up by the powerful and corrupt is an effervescent Bell Pottingeresque version of the manipulation of public minds. News that South Africa has just dropped three places from its 2018 ranking in the World Press Freedom Index to 31st out of 180 countries should come then as no surprise and a serious wake-up call to us all. The Index “shows that an intense climate of fear has been triggered – one that is prejudicial to a safe reporting environment”, compilers of the index Reporters Without Borders said in a statement. “The hostility towards journalists expressed by political leaders in many countries has incited increasingly serious and frequent acts of violence that have fuelled an unprecedented level of fear and danger for journalists.” Once the leaders of a country scare and threaten journalists into silence, the minds of the populace are theirs. Measured and clandestine corruption quickly becomes unchecked and rampant, allowing for phenomena like State Capture to occur. Business and investor confidence dips and the capital flight snowballs. So this Press Freedom Day we need you, dear Daily Maverick reader, to help us to never go there again. We need you to celebrate media freedom with us - by taking action. We need your support to ensure that our Free Press also means Free for All, not just those who can afford to pay. You can do this by signing up to become a [Maverick Inside](r here and help keep our work accessible to all, and receiving some other great benefits. Finally, we need your continued support so that Daily Maverick can keep doing what we do best – helping our people to understand the world they live in. [Newsletter Referral Programme]( We appreciate that not all of our readers can afford to support us financially - that's why we have chosen not to erect a paywall. If you are one of those and would still like to support us in a non-financial way, you can do so by #spreadingthenews about our incredible family of newsletters. All we ask of you is that you [sign up here]( where you'll be issued with a code, that code is unique to you. Once you share it with your friends and family (via WhatsApp, Social Media, Email or Hogwarts Owl) and they sign up, you will automatically be entered into our draw to win some amazing prizes. [FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND]( Copyright © 2019 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. You are receiving this mail because you are awesome. [Getting too many emails from us? Manage your preferences]( | [Unsubscribe](