Much like in the rest of the world, the podcast scene has exploded in SA, threatening to displace broadcasting as the primary source of information, entertainment and community building.
Podcast listeners are mostly young people who delve into discussions about pop culture, business and personal development. This is hardly surprising, given the growing use of smartphones and internet access among a younger generation of users. As podcasts continue to gain traction, so is the debate about their regulation of content, accountability and responsibility.
Unlike traditional broadcast channels, podcasters operate in an unregulated space where there are no rules or standards of practice to guide content generation. But considering how many people rely on podcasters and social media for information, it may be time to take this debate up a notch.
While podcasts are important tools to connect and uplift society, they must be used to cultivate a positive social environment with responsibility and not used as platforms where people are stripped of their dignity.
Take the case of MacGyver “MacG” Mukwevho, who is facing backlash after he made obscene comments about TV presenter Minnie Dlamini on his show recently. MacG’s podcast is one of the fastest-growing platforms in the country, followed by millions of young listeners. Yet he has attracted one public rebuke after another for making vile comments about women with seeming impunity.
His latest crass commentary, which will not be repeated, not only crosses the line of human decency but is deeply degrading to women. His crudeness targeted at women has often been passed off as humour, despite its troubling undertones.
At the heart of MacG’s impunity on his podcast is a lack of official scrutiny and a code of conduct for platforms such as his, and social media in general. Unlike the legacy media, where content is subjected to scrutiny, and the public has recourse for inaccurate reporting, unfair comments and promoting hate, no such regulations exist for podcasters in SA.
For all its failings, legacy media operates within the rules, and when the line is crossed, there are consequences both in law and by industry standards. The implications of not having industry standards upheld for the podcasters are profound, as evidenced by MacG’s continued vulgar outbursts against women.
It is commendable that Moja Love, which is also aired on DSTV, has condemned MacG’s damaging remarks about women. But this is simply not enough, given the gravity of his misogynistic remarks, and his repeat pattern of behaviour to degrade and dehumanise women.
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