The messenger, the message and the receiver: South African government communication during the Covid-19 pandemic
Herman Wasserman and Dani Madrid-Morales have co-authored a chapter in Manufacturing Government Communication on Covid-19: A Comparative Perspective. Their chapter titled “The messenger, the message and the receiver: South Africa government communication during the Covid-19 pandemic” provides an overview on how communication on the Covid-19 crisis delivered by the...
Herman Wasserman and Dani Madrid-Morales appear on SABC’s ‘Media & Society’
On Sunday the 21st of August, Herman Wasserman and Dani Madrid-Morales appeared on a segment of Media & Society by SABC News. Alongside Africa Check’s Head of Education and Training, Carina Van Wyk, Wasserman and Madrid-Morales discussed the importance of media literacy and how it can aid in the...
Media literacy education in South Africa can help combat fake news – here’s what’s needed
Online platforms are replete with examples of false information – from WhatsApp messages punting some miraculous cure for COVID, to social media posts claiming a politician said something they didn’t. It’s increasingly common in South Africa. More than 75% of South Africans say they regularly come across political news they think...
An Assessment of Media Literacy and Fact-Checking Training Needs in South African Schools and Universities
This new report co-authored by Herman Wasserman and Dani Madrid-Morales aims to identify knowledge and skills gaps related to teaching about misinformation through a needs assessment of educators in South Africa. The aim is to assist the development of media and information literacy materials that can be used in...
Dani Madrid-Morales presents on Recentering Disinformation Studies at City University of London
On the 5th of April Dani Madrid-Morales presented on Re-centering Disinformation Studies at City University of London. Madrid-Morales presented alongside panelists Dr Lindsey Bluebell, Dr Mel Bunce, Dr Zahera Harb and Dr Abdullahi Tasiu Abubakar. In addition to discussing the importance of ‘de-westernising’ disinformation studies, Madrid-Morales introduced his new...
BIG READ: Fighting back against the global information disorder
Herman Wasserman writes for Business Live on how the public sphere is being contaminated by rumours, hate and deception. Wasserman notes that we are currently witnessing a global “information disorder”, resulting from the combination of a changing media landscape and a fractious political environment. After two years of the...
Who is Responsible for Stopping the Spread of Misinformation? Examining Audience Perceptions of Responsibilities and Responses in Six Sub-Saharan African Countries
This past week at the International Communication Association conference in Paris, Herman Wasserman and Dani-Madrid Morales discussed their latest paper co-authored alongside Melissa Tully, Gregory Gondwe and Kioko Ireri, Who is Responsible for Stopping the Spread of Misinformation? Examining Audience Perceptions of Responsibilities and Responses in Six Sub-Saharan African...
Information disorder: Report harnesses Global South responses
Information disorder threatens media freedom and democracies across the globe. In the Global South, multi-level responses are needed to counter its spread, said Professor Herman Wasserman, the editor of the recently released “Meeting the Challenges of Information Disorder in the Global South” report. He is based in the University...
Disinformation in the Global South: a new book edited by Herman Wasserman and Dani Madrid-Morales
Disinformation in the Global South was published on April 14. Both print and electronic copies are available. You can use the code ICAW2 until June 30, 2022 to get a 20% discount on your copy. Media and communication scholars Herman Wasserman and Dani Madrid-Morales to release a new book...
Dani Madrid-Morales to present at ISSCO Regional Workshop: Europe and Africa
The International Society for the Study of Chinese Overseas (ISSCO) will be holding a regional workshop on the effects of COVID-19 on the Chinese Diaspora in Europe and Africa. Assistant Professor Dani Madrid-Morales will be presenting on Kenyan and South African social media users’ engagement with disinformation about China and...