The media and Julius Malema
Why is the media so obsessed with Julius Malema?
The man has proven to be nothing but a windbag spouting off a lot of nonsense, but nearly every single day (weekends included) something gets written about him.
As far as anyone can tell Malema has no power base of his own in the ANC hierarchy and only serves a purpose when someone wants the Youth League’s vote, same as the Communist Party and Cosatu. Who does he really speak for? If it’s for the youth of SA, then we are in serious trouble!
So far we have not heard Julius Malema say anything that warrants all the attention he receives on a nearly daily basis. His rants are made with no apparent thought or reasoning, but the next day the airwaves are buzzing and newspaper headlines blasting with the latest Malema quote.
We don’t have huge scandalous celebrities (Steve Hofmeyer excepted) so the media builds Malema into a political figure of note to sell their stories.
What would we talk about if Malema applied his mind to his (apparent) UNISA law degree studies, instead of talking nonsense? What would the media report on?
Kgalema Montlanthe is far too into running the country and Jacob Zuma is doing is best to look presidential (without a modicum of success). Thabo Mbeki is doing his quiet diplomacy thing with Mugabe and Tsvangirai in Pretoria somewhere.
How would we make next year’s election interesting if the Britney Spears of South African youth league politics suddenly never says another word in public?
COPE was just fun for a little while, then we noticed that we’ve seen them all before.
Perhaps the media should stop courting Malema for more rubbish talk and let him concentrate on improving on his matric results or maybe he will do as the rest of us and just create a blog and then spout all the nonsense he can think of.
2 Responses to “The media and Julius Malema”
By neal on Nov 28, 2008 | Reply
The NWC discussed what appears to be a sustained campaign in the media to belittle ANC Youth League president Julius Malema, and to position him. Julius Malema is abusing his power, he is using it to attach other people and intimidating the public media.
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jnnywllms
Internet marketing
By Glass Pearl on Nov 28, 2008 | Reply
Neal,
I hardly think Malema has too much power to abuse. In my opinion he is doing with other ANCYL leaders have done, and I hardly see any of them progressing in the ANC.
Malema will only grow in stature because of the role the media is playing.