By: Khethukuthula Lembethe

“Journalism in definition is a method of inquiry and literary style used in social and cultural representation” according to Wikipedia. “It serves the purpose of playing the role of public service machinery in the dissemination and analysis of news and information.”

Journalists also, especially in the history of South Africa, played a huge role of being the voice of the people being messengers to relay what the masses felt.

But times like these are long gone. Today, media practitioners are not liked by all; some feel that they add fuel to the fire rather than putting it off. Journalists have been posed as threats to society and vultures on preying on the people’s struggles.

In a democratic society like South Africa, access to free information plays a central role in creating a system of checks and balance, and in distributing power equally among governments, businesses, individuals, and other social entities.

Journalismiziko met up with young journalist, Liam Joyce, to find out his intentions for choosing this field and whether the difficulties faced have tempered with his passions.

Lets talk about journalism!. Pictures From: www.uthmag.com

When asked if he always wanted to be a journalist, Joyce said, “No, I took a gap year after completing matric I realized the love I had for English, but put off by long novels and stuff and while traveling I read many newspapers and watched a lot of TV, and unexpectedly I fell in love with journalism.”

Joyce is a journalist at Independent Newspapers and a Durban University of Technology alumnus.

He defines Journalism being “about being the mouthpiece for those that can’t speak out, it’s about telling stories for those who can’t tell their own”.

Joyce pressed, “It is not a job, journalism is the heart of society, and it is a very important part of society just as the heart is an important organ to the body. We are watch dogs,” Joyce declared proudly.