Abstract:

Since the attainment of independence of South Sudan, a protracted conflict did ensue between two factions sparked off by political reasons. Since then, the conflict disrupted the socio-economic and political lives of the citizens and a spillover effect was even felt in the neighboring countries. At the epicenter of the conflict lies the issue of media reporting and how the conflict was handled because depending on how it was handled, it either led to reduction of tensions or heightened tensions. This research delves into the role of the media in the protracted conflict. The objectives of the research include; To evaluate the extent to which media has assisted in mobilizing support for peace agreements; to analyze strategies employed by the media in propagating cessation of conflict in Sudan; assess the media’s level of success in sensitizing people about conflict prevention and to determine the extent to which government censorship impacted on the rights of journalists. The theory of Peace Journalism was hinged on the study to argue for how conflicts can be managed by the media. The study adopts a descriptive Survey Design; this involved targeting media organizations, both national and international media through the use of questionnaires and documentary evidence. It was expected that the study would be important to local media in South Sudan, the government and international organizations including the international press.

Keywords: Protracted Conflict, Peace Journalism, Censorship, Manmade Disasters, Emergency Management, War Journalism.

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