The entirety of my time in South Africa was inspiring and eye opening. While some of the sites that we visited left a strange taste in my mouth (Pretoria FM) and others showed me the sad, imminent death of print as a medium (Independent), others gave me hope for the future of media in not just South Africa, but America.

Two visits occurred on our first full day. We talked with Aiisha from Vox Daily and Greg and the others from Kaya FM. Aiisha shed light on how technology has democratized media and made it possible for the public to have a say, while Greg explained the importance of using your influence through the media to foster growth in the community and work towards progressing society.

Despite struggling to stay awake due to jetlag, a cozy chair, and warm room, I found everything Aiisha had to say extremely interesting and inspiring. She talked about live streaming the #Fees Must Fall protests and how doing so allowed the public to see the protests in person and to decide their opinion for themselves, rather than allowing the media’s already opinionated articles about the protests to decide for them. In this way, social and digital media in general have given the public a voice that they did not have before. They have democratized media and made it possible to get closer to a “truth” of sorts.

While some are dismayed by the death of print media, I’m excited about the rise of digital media and what that means for me and for the rest of the public. Aiisha’s own experiences of using social media to cover the protests were a perfect example of the untapped potential of digital media.

At Kaya FM, Greg shed light on the incredible ways media influence can be used to better society. His thoughts reminded me of the social responsibility theory that we discussed in class, as he talked about only allowing certain kinds of brands and advertisements to be aired on Kaya FM. He understands the magnanimity of his company’s influence and as such, only wants to use that influence in a positive manner.

As an advertising major, I am fully aware of the negative aspects of the advertising industry. For example, advertising is known to create images that objectify women, leave out people of color, and is often termed a [white] “boy’s club.” Changes are underway, however, and that, along with everything Greg had to say, gives me hope that by the time I enter the industry, I will be able to push for advertising and media that positively impact society.