South Africa’s “economic heartland” proved that water shortages can happen even if the dams are full. Taps have run dry in Gauteng’s major cities, with many areas receiving intermittent supplies and others receiving no water at all. It turned out that the water and sanitation infrastructures are old and the water resources are poorly managed. Some water pipes were installed nearly a century ago, and there’s been poor planning and a lack of financing to maintain ageing infrastructure to keep up with rapid urbanisation. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here
Merv
February 1, 2023
