A young man called Dumi Mkokstad who rose to fame in 2005 had mainstream media buzzing with his flashy life and good music career, he won a number of awards since he joined the industry. The big star is being applauded by fans for his achievements, whoever on the 6 June 2019 he got married to a women called Dr Zipho Mthembu having being rumoured of staying with a girl at Durban. The girl found out about the wedding on Facebook. She went to mainstream media to reveal that she and Mr Mkokstad were actually in a relationship and that he promised to marry her. She continued explain that when she saw the pictures of the wedding she thought it was a photoshoot. Mainstream media did no justice to the story by criticising her and favouring the new wife because she holds a title of being a doctor. This shows biasness of mainstream media and their inability to take neutral positions. The doctor was not criticised because of the status she holds in society.
Small media houses reported from a different angle and sympathised with the woman. There is already a clear line of interest between community and mainstream media houses. If working class stand any chance, they better produce their own media.
By Sisanda Lwana Kulima