Enrolment of first year students in journalism leaps up by 30% in 1979. Why?
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"Possibly because the Information scandal has made journalism seem like a glamorous profession." At least this is the opinion of Journalism staff who compare the jump in numbers with a similar phenomenon at journalism schools in the United States after Watergate.
Of course, the increase may also be linked to the growing reputation of the Rhodes department, the only one of its kind at an English-language university in South Africa.
Bulletin, 1979 (2): 3
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Gavin Stewart
Colourful ties!
In 1980 Gavin Stewart became a professor of journalism and then head of the department at Rhodes University in 1983.
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During his time in the department (1980s), the Eastern Cape, along with the rest of the country, was embroiled in strained political time. With Stewart at the forefront, members of his department played a key role in supporting the Eastern Cape News Agency.
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Stewart also made sure to keep in touch with the real world and a highlight of his leadership was an international conference on media and transformation which he organised in the early 1990s.
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Stewart also secured financial support for black students to study in the department through starting the Steve Biko Scholarships with Donald Woods
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What would students remember him for?
"Colourful ties and shirts! And a newswriting course based on episodes of Rescue 991 — it made for very convenient lecture material. And we had excellent attendance at the dawn patrol lectures on Friday mornings."
Colourful ties!
SOURCE
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Grocott's Mail. 2004. "Special Edition", July 3rd.