?Prof Herman Wasserman from the Department of Journalism in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences delivered his inaugural lecture on 23 July 2024. The title of his lecture was “Making media matter: on truth, dignity, and love".
Wasserman spoke to the Corporate Communication and Marketing Division about how he helps contribute to a better understanding of the media in our daily lives, in our democratic politics, in the exercise of our citizenship and in our social interactions.
Tell us more about your research and why you became interested in this specific field.
Broadly speaking, my research interest has always been the relationship between media and society. This has taken on a more specific focus on aspects such as media ethics, media and conflict, media and geopolitics, and most recently, disinformation studies. I explore questions such as 'What ethical values can we expect the media to uphold in a democracy?', 'How do political transitions and shifts impact on the role of the media?', 'How do we understand the diminishing trust in the media and the rise of disinformation – and what can be done about it?'.
How would you describe the relevance of your work?
It is hard to imagine any area of contemporary life that is not impacted or influenced by the media, or that interacts with the media in some way. I would hope my research would contribute to a better understanding of the media in our daily lives, in our democratic politics, in the exercise of our citizenship and in our social interactions. The ultimate aim of understanding these dynamics better is to suggest ways in which the relationship between media and society can be improved, and media users be empowered to engage more critically with the media so as to deepen their participation in democratic life.
The media have played a critical role in our democracy. How can it remain relevant and responsive to society?
The media faces many challenges, ranging from economic sustainability to political pressures, attacks on their credibility and the rise of what has been referred to as 'information disorder' – the increased levels of disinformation, online hate and weaponised falsehoods. The challenge for the media is to retain (or regain) the trust of audiences by acting ethically, being contextually responsive, listening to diverse voices and remaining committed to the truth despite these difficulties.
How can the media contribute to a better life in a world beset with so many challenges?
Fundamentally, the media's credibility, survival and social relevance will depend on its ethical commitment to the public good. This commitment can be summarised in basic principles such as truth-telling, treating people with dignity, and listening to people's stories in a way that helps undo the deep inequalities in our society and contributes to building relationships across differences and polarisations.
You are currently working on projects relating to disinformation, media and information integrity. Why are these so important?
There is widespread concern about the damage that disinformation, hate speech, falsehoods and attacks on information integrity can do to democratic societies. We are seeing the rise of populism globally which thrives on the undermining of trust in the media, the sowing of confusion and deepening social polarisation. By researching the underlying attitudes, perceptions and social dynamics which lead to these phenomena, and exploring the best ways in which such problems can be countered, we can hopefully contribute to a more robust, healthy and resilient information environment.
You have spent many years in the challenging environment of higher education. What keeps you motivated when things get tough?
I have always considered it an immense privilege to do what I do – yes, there are challenges, as with any job, but I am very grateful for having had such a rewarding and fulfilling academic career. It is such a joy to interact with students, hear their ideas, have one's assumptions challenged and contributing to their educational journey. My research has taken me to many interesting places, introduced me to wonderful colleagues around the world and stimulated my curiosity about the world. I honestly would not want to do anything else.
What aspects of your work do you enjoy the most?
Research is my first love, but I also enjoy teaching and supervision, as engagement with students always leads to interesting new discoveries, prompts me to ask new and different questions, and broadens my own horizons.
Tell us something exciting about yourself that people would not expect.
Students or younger colleagues are sometimes surprised to hear that I also struggle with 'imposter syndrome' from time to time! But that is probably to be expected – in fact, I think it's a good thing to not become too comfortable in one's own assumptions and to keep questioning what you think you know.
How do you spend your free time?
I like cooking, and because I like eating, I also like to exercise … I used to run marathons, but middle age caught up with me and I now like mountain-biking, the occasional bodyboarding or going to the gym. I really enjoy hanging out with my teenage kids (Lukas, Daniel and Sophie) as they keep me up to date with the latest trends in pop culture, movies, social media and music – I have learnt a lot from them, and sometimes they even pretend to find my dad jokes funny.
- Photo by Ignus Dreyer (The Stellenbosch Centre for Photographic Services).
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