Who am I?
I joined academia out of desperation for a normal suburban life. It didn’t work. I now teach journalism and ethics, new media, feature writing, opinion (which comes easily) and specialist writing, corporate stuff, far too much theory, research methodology and just about anything else I am called upon to do.
I am currently supervising around five Master’s students and 14 doctoral candidates, which keeps me pretty busy. They teach me something new every day.
I worked as a journalist for 12 years before leaping into the university world, and still write whenever I can. Far too many editors visibly blanch when my name is mentioned. I particularly like the thought of subverting an entire new generation of journalists.
Originally planning on being a lawyer, writing won the day, and I have a bachelor’s degree in English and History, English Honours, and a Doctor Litterarum from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
I also have a fondness for dry red wines, dry humour and old Scotch. Preferring dogs to cats, I read too much, smoke too much and don’t sleep enough. While acknowledging that snacking on gardenias won’t make you feel better, I firmly believe gardening is better than Prozac, and spend the rest of my free time fixing windows that my three gorgeous sons and recalcitrant husband have shattered with a variety of odd-shaped balls.
“Rage is the only quality which has kept me, or anybody I have ever studied, writing columns for newspapers.” – Jerry Seinfeld
CV available on request (for a small fee).
Degrees Held
- Bachelor of Arts (majors English and History)
- Bachelor of Arts Honours in English
- Doctor Litterarum
Research Interests
- Journalism, New Media, and Journalism and Media ethics, and the many variations involved.
- Historical memory.
- Current investigating the use of some literary theory as a means of ethical journalism writing and analysis.
- News ways of finding common ground (links with botany and literary theory). Breaking silences for understanding.
Selected
Publications
Chapters in Books
Journal Articles
Chapters in Books
- De Beer, A; Jones, NJ & Pitcher, SJ (2017) “Journalism Education in South Africa: Taking on Challenges for the future”. In Goodman, R and Steyn, E (Eds) Global Journalism Education In the 21st Century: Challenges and Innovations. Knight Centre for Journalism, Austin: 175-197.
- Jones, NJ (2017) “Journalism and new media: narrative and story-telling in South African journalism”. In Fourie, P (ed) Media Studies Volume Four: Social Media and Mediated Communication Today. Juta, Cape Town: 294-322.
- Jones, NJ & Pitcher, SJ (2010) “Traditions, conventions and ethics: online dilemmas in South African journalism”. In: Hyde-Clarke, N (ed) The Citizen in Communication – Re-visiting traditional, new and community media practices in South Africa. Claremont, Juta: 97- 112.
- Jones, NJ (2010) “When the Public Interest is not what interests the public: an investigation of privacy as media ethic in contemporary South Africa”. In: Hyde-Clarke, N (ed) Communication and Media Ethics. Claremont, Juta: 162-175.
- Jones, NJ; Viney, D and Vanderhaeghen (2008) “The rise of the Daily Sun and its contribution to the creation of post-apartheid identity.” In Power, Politics and Identity in South African Media (edited by Hadland, A., Louw, E., Sesanti, S., and Wasserman, H.) 2008. 167-183.
- Jones, NJ (2006) “Privacy, Ethics and the Public Interest in South Africa: the Mail & Guardian’s Gagging Order, Oilgate and Imvume.” Communication Science in South Africa: Contemporary Issues. Juta, Cape Town, ISBN 0702172871.
Journal Articles
- Jones, NJ (2017) “The importance of the World Economic Forum for South Africa”. BRICS: WEF South Africa, 2017.
- Jones, NJ & Pitcher, SJ (2017) “’Pretty as a peach’: Some thoughts on the gendered representations of Reeva Steenkamp’s murder in three South African publications”. Communicare 36 (2), pp 25-37.
- Pitcher, SJ; Frankland, T & Jones, N (2016) “From sick old man to mythical hero: an analysis of the Independent Online’s representation of Nelson Mandela in his final three years”. Communicare, 35 (1), pp 94-107.
- Jones, NJ & Pitcher, SJ (2015) “Reporting tittle-tattle: Twitter, gossip and the changing nature of journalism.” Communicatio, vol. 41 (3), pp287-301.
- Jones, NJ (2014) “Teaching future newsmakers”. Rhodes Journalism Review, 2014, 34:23.
- Jones, NJ (2013) “Have we learned from history? A comparative critical assessment of the Independent Group’s coverage of the HIV/Aids pandemic in South Africa in 2004 and 2011”. Critical Arts, 27(3): 303-323.
- Jones, NJ (2012) “’Sexing up’ environmental issues: exploring eco-ethics, activism and journalism in a South African context.” Ecquid Novi, 33(1): 26-43.
- Pitcher, SJ & Jones, NJ (2010) “The Future of Intellectual Property Within the Realm of Information Communication Technologies”. Communication Studies. Vol 2 (7): 121-135.
- Jones, NJ (2010) “Contextualising the Sax Appeal and the Danish cartoon furores for South Africa.” Communitas: Journal for Community Communication and Information Impact. Vol 15 (5): 151-165.
- Jones, NJ (2005) “News values, ethics and violence in KwaZulu-Natal: Has media coverage reformed?” Critical Arts 2005, 19 (1&2), 175-191.
- Jones, NJ (2005) “Teaching critical journalism: Using the “Gimlekollen Model” at the Addis Ababa University Graduate School of Journalism.” Equid Novi 2005, 26 (2) 259-263.
- Jones, NJ (2005) “Teaching critical journalism: towards a paradigm for South African media education.” Rhodes Journalism Review, 2005, 22: 17.
- Jones, NJ (2003) “Privacy, Ethics and the Public Interest: Should the South African Media have Reported on Durban Businessman Glyn Taylor’s Infamous Death in 1999?” in Alternation, Vol 10, number 2, 2003.
Conference Presentations
- Jones, NJ (2017) “Respect without questioning? Discussions of Hlonipha as an ethical concept in South African newspaper representation of South African president Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma’s alleged rape trial saga.” Accepted for IAMCR, Cartagena, Columbia, July 2017.
- Jones, NJ (2017) “Listen to Us! Exploring the influence of South Africa’s online #FeesMustFall community on the national news agenda”. Accepted for IAMCR, Cartagena, Columbia,
- Jones, NJ and Pitcher, SJ (2017) ““Challenging the Ivory Tower: an exploration of the agenda-setting influence of South African student activism on social media, on the mainstream press” has been accepted for presentation at the International Conference “Journalism, Society and Politics in the Digital Media Era”, held in Limassol, Cyprus, 1 – 3 September 2017.
- Jones, NJ (2017) “Seven commitments for the decolonization of journalism: a UKZN case study”. Wits Journalism Curriculum workshop, “Confronting the Challenges of Africanizing the Curriculum in Media Disciplines”, Johannesburg, 3-4 July 2017.
- Jones, NJ (2016) “Setting alternative agendas? A comparison of student protest representations in South African newspapers”. SACOMM July 2016, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein.
- Jones, NJ and Pitcher, SJ (2016) “#FeesMustFall – The ‘Forgotten’ Story: An analysis of user images on Instagram”. Participatory Culture and the Future of Democracy Conference, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.
- Jones, NJ (2015) Damning the Fountains of Justice: an examination of three South African publications’ coverage of Reeva Steenkamp’s alleged murder in the context of South African crime and crime reporting. Global Journalism Symposium, NLA University College, Kristiansand, Norway, 6 October 2015.
- Jones, NJ (2015) “Who will tell the emperor he has no clothes? Painting as political protest in the work of South African artists Brett Murray and Ayanda Mabulu.” IAMCR, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, July 12-16, 2015
- Jones, NJ (2015) Damning the Fountains of Justice: an examination of three South African publications’ coverage of Reeva Steenkamp’s alleged murder in the context of South African crime and crime reporting. 28-30 September 2015 SACOMM, AFDA, Cape Town.
- Jones, NJ (2015) Opening the lens: cultural criminology and images of the 2015 xenophobic violence in South Africa.
- Jones, NJ (2015) Damning the Fountains of Justice: an examination of three South African publications’ coverage of Reeva Steenkamp’s alleged murder in the context of South African crime and crime reporting. III International Conference on Media Ethics, School of Communication, University of Seville, March 2015.
- Jones, NJ (2014) “Who will tell the emperor he has no clothes? Art as political protest in the work of South African artists Brett Murray and Ayanda Mabulu.” SACOMM annual conference, University of the North-West, Potchefstroom.
- Jones, NJ (2013) “Not dead yet! An examination of the effects of online technology on community newspapers in South Africa.” International Association for Media and Communication Research, conference in Dublin, July 2013.
- Jones, NJ (2013) “When freedom of expression and the right to dignity collide: an ethical examination of South African artist Brett Murray’s The Spear.” SACOMM annual conference, University of Johannesburg, 2013.
- Jones, NJ (2013) “Making the irreverent relevant: Twitter’s new role in South African journalism”. SACOMM annual conference, University of Johannesburg, 2013.
- Jones, NJ (2012) “Have we learned from history? A comparative critical assessment of the Independent Group’s coverage of the HIV/Aids pandemic in South Africa in 2004 and 2011”. International Association for Media and Communication Research, conference in Durban, July 2012.
- Jones, NJ (2011) “Have we learned from history? A comparative critical assessment of the Independent Group’s coverage of the HIV/Aids pandemic in South Africa in 2004 and 2011”. Paper presented at Rhodes Health Journalism Symposium, May 2011.
- Jones, NJ (July 2011) “Tweeting the News: The ethics of Twitter as the newest journalism tool at South Africa’s Mail & Guardian newspaper, and its impact on press freedom.” Paper presented at International Association of Communication Researchers’ (IAMCR) conference in Istanbul, Turkey.
- Jones, NJ (September 2011) “Reporting tittle-tattle? Analysing Twitter as a legitimate news source.” Paper presented at the SACOMM 2011 conference in Pretoria.
- Jones, NJ (September 2011) “Sexing up environmental issues: exploring eco-ethics, activism and journalism in a South African context”. Paper presented at the Highway Africa conference in Cape Town.
- Jones, NJ (July 2011) “Tweeting the News: The ethics of Twitter as the newest journalism tool at South Africa’s Mail & Guardian newspaper, and its impact on press freedom.” Paper presented at International Association of Communication Researchers’ (IAMCR) conference in Istanbul, Turkey.
- Jones, NJ (September 2011) “Reporting tittle-tattle? Analysing Twitter as a legitimate news source.” Paper presented at the SACOMM 2011 conference in Pretoria.
- Jones, NJ (September 2011) “Sexing up environmental issues: exploring eco-ethics, activism and journalism in a South African context”. Paper presented at the Highway Africa conference in Cape Town.
- Jones, NJ and Pitcher, SJ (October, 2010) “I will always find a way to get my stories out”: exploring the role of new electronic media in South Africa’s fight for press freedom.” Conference Paper: Exploring Media & Democracy within Post-Apartheid South Africa. Rhodes University, Grahamstown.
- Jones, NJ (September, 2010) “Representation of the FIFA World Cup 2010: A comparative analysis of British and South African online newspaper headlines”. Conference Paper: SACOMM – Zoom In, Zoom Out. University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Jones, NJ & Pitcher, SJ (July, 2010) “Postgraduate Journalists: Rediscovering Discourse and Identity”. Conference Paper: World Journalism Education Conference – Journalism Education in an Age of Radical Change. Rhodes University, South Africa.
- Jones, N (October, 2010) “Mobile implications stemming from the rapid transmissionand production of knowledge on the nature of journalistic ethics”. Conference paper: Mobile Textkulturen symposium, Berlin Institute for Cultural Inquiry, Berlin.
- Jones, NJ (2010) “Thoughts on the future of journalism”. Presentation at the Institute for Practical Journalism, Paris, France, 8 December 2010.
- Jones, NJ (2010) “The meaning and importance of press freedom in South Africa: unpacking the Information of Protection Bill and the proposed Media Appeals Tribunal”. Address to the Southern region cell of the African National Congress, Pietermaritzburg, September 2010.
- Jones, NJ (2009) “Privacy versus the Public Interest: an investigation of media ethics in the Sunday Time’s exposé of South African health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.” Conference at Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Zurich, Switzerland, 2009.
- Jones, NJ (2008) “Privacy versus the public interest: an investigation of media ethics in the Sunday Times expose of South African health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang in the context of global media ethics.” South African Communication Organisation conference, 2008, Johannesburg.
- Jones, NJ (2007) “The need for a postcolonial media ethic? A critical examination of the coverage of South African raconteur David Rattray’s murder in the Witness.” South African Communication Organisation conference, September 2007, Pretoria.
- Jones, NJ (2006) “Hate speech, hateful speech and the freedom to offend: the Danish cartoon furore in South Africa.” South African Communication Organisation conference, September 2006, Stellenbosch.
- Jones, NJ (2006) “Teaching critical journalism: conceptual understandings for undergraduate and Honours students.” Rhodes Journalism Colloquium, August 2006, Grahamstown.
- Jones, NJ (2004) “Reading the Natal violence: did the media fail?” South African Communication Organisation conference, October 2004, Nelson Mandela Metropolis University, Port Elizabeth.
Student
Supervision
Masters
PhD
Masters
2018
- “Is Tsotsi (2005) a South African film? Implications of a transnational film theory for stylistic analysis in South African film studies.” Michael John Hatton.
- “The representation of women in Hollywood film musicals: a qualitative, critical and visual analysis of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Nine.” Vyonne Linda Hohls.
- “Legislation, policy and regulation to the post-telecommunication era: The role of OTT service’s (WhatsApp) consumption and sense-making in the everyday lives of black middle-class employees of Parliament of the Republic of South Africa.” Sandile Thabane Alphoes Nene.
- “An analysis of the representation of female and male politicians during the 2016 South African local government elections: A case study of the Pietermaritzburg daily newspaper, The Witness.” Thabiso Brilliant Ngubane.
- “The superhero narrative: Are women the bearer of meaning or the maker of meaning? An analysis of the female characters in Netflix’s Jessica Jones.” Kate Maria Wilkinson.
PhD
- 2018. “Respect without questioning? Discussions of Hlonipha as an ethical concept in South African newspaper representation of South African president Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma’s alleged rape trial saga.” Mandla Linda. (Pending graduation in September 2018).
- 2018. “Negotiating transnational identities: Young Zimbabwean women carving, creating and managing transnational identity in the South African metropolis of Johannesburg.” Joanah Gadzikwa. University of KwaZulu-Natal.
- 2016. “Deviant Doodling: Contextualising the discourses of Zapiro in a socially responsible press.” Sandra Pitcher. University of KwaZulu-Natal.
- 2015. “Other than ourselves: An exploration of ‘self-othering’ in Afrikaner identity construction in Beeld newspaper. Yves Vanderhaeghen. University of KwaZulu-Natal.
- 2012. “Who should teach journalism? A Scholarly Personal Narrative.” Fern Greenbank. University of KwaZulu-Natal.