Media Ethics

The DA’s Helen Zille denies endorsing Patrice Motsepe for the ANC presidency

(Photo credit: AFP) Democratic Alliance federal council chairperson Helen Zille has dismissed claims that she endorsed billionaire Patrice Motsepe as a potential successor to President Cyril Ramaphosa as ANC president. Zille says her comments were taken out of context and stressed that she does not involve herself in the internal affairs of the African National Congress. She was responding to media reports suggesting she had expressed support for Motsepe’s leadership […]

27 January, 2026

Namibia

ICT Ministry and editors discuss ethics and integrity in social media use

The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) has met with editors from various media outlets to discuss the ethical use of social media and promote responsible digital communication. The engagement, conducted on Monday, 6 October, was aimed at strengthening media integrity in the online space, with the ministry raising the need for collaboration between government and the media to combat misinformation and ensure ethical standards are upheld across all […]

6 October, 2025

Namibia

Shihomeka Takes Over as Media Ombudsman

The Editors’ Forum has appointed Dr. Sadrag Shihomeka as the new Media Ombudsman for the 2025–2028 term. A senior lecturer in Journalism and Media Technology at NUST, he succeeds Dr. John Nakuta, who held the role for nearly eight years until the end of June. Dr. Shihomeka shared his thoughts with our team’s Angie Scholtz.

25 July, 2025

Nam Elections 2024

UNESCO Survey Indicates Two-Thirds of Influencers Skip Content Verification

A new UNESCO survey shows that two-thirds of influencers do not verify the accuracy of content before sharing it. This finding is part of the organization's groundbreaking study, set to be revealed at a press conference on Tuesday. In its first-ever global survey, UNESCO has collected data from content creators in 45 countries, shedding light on their practices and the ethical dilemmas they encounter. Digital Media Expert Nrupesh Soni:

20 November, 2024

World

Editor of US’ oldest magazine resigns over Trump comments

The editor-in-chief of the US' oldest magazine has resigned after she called Trump voters "fascists". Laura Helmuth is stepping down for Scientific American after online comments she has since acknowledged were "offensive and inappropriate". Nick Harper has more from Washington.

18 November, 2024

Namibia

Human rights lawyer criticizes reality show for privacy violations

Human Rights lawyer, Bianca Boois of BB Boois Attorneys, has criticised a reality show that films intoxicated Namibians for crime prevention. Boois raised ethical and legal concerns about the show, highlighting potential violations of privacy, human dignity, and the mental health implications for the individuals involved. Boois further questioned the legality of broadcasting such footage without consent, especially when individuals are in a vulnerable state due to […]

5 September, 2024

Africa

Ghana’s anti-LGBTIQ+ bill is being challenged in the supreme court. Why the decision to broadcast it live matters

By Godfried Asante, San Diego State University Ghana’s Supreme Court is live televising its proceedings on the country’s controversial anti-LGBTQI+ bill. This was on the request of Ghana’s attorney general, who cited public interest and transparency. The bill was passed by the country’s parliament in February 2024 amid global furore and local outcry. The bill criminalises not only LGBTQI+ relationships, but also those who support […]

30 May, 2024

Namibia

Workshop validates media monitoring tools for local elections

As Namibia prepares for the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for 27 November 2024, the Media Ombudsman and other stakeholders hosted a media and elections monitoring tool validation workshop in Windhoek on Tuesday. During elections, media monitoring provides benchmarks to judge the fairness of the election process and evaluates compliance with international standards and local regulations on election coverage. Local journalist Jemima Beukes attended the workshop.

9 May, 2024

Namibia

Namibia Media Professionals Union condemns journalist’s assault

The Namibia Media Professionals Union has condemned the alleged assault, on the 2nd of April 2024, of a female journalist by a male editor of a prominent newspaper. This comes after a case of common assault was opened by the alleged victim at the Otjomuise Police Station in Windhoek. NAMPU acting Secretary General Jemima Beukes.

4 April, 2024