Share

Plan mooted to regulate media

accreditation
(File, Beeld)
(File, Beeld)

There is a plan to regulate the media, although the specifics are yet to be decided.

This emerged from a two-day Print Media Transformation Colloquium, held last week at the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria.

Hosted by the department of communications, its purpose was to help finalise a position on media transformation that will be presented to Parliament.

Strong views were expressed against the way the media operate. Attending the colloquium were government officials, civil society, business, academics and media owners.

Joe Thloloe, executive director of the SA Press Council, warned that all attempts to impose new regulations on the media would not meet constitutional muster.

He insisted that effective self-regulation was the best system to promote high standards in the media industry.

“Any statutory system will have a chilling effect, with journalists self-censoring and looking over their shoulders all the time,” said Thloloe.

But Lumko Mtimde, chief executive officer of the Universal Service and Access Agency of SA, said the time for talking about media transformation was over.

“We cannot continue talking. The current system, led by respected former judges, cannot be fair as the judges are funded and housed by the media industry.

“It still does not have teeth,” he said, adding that the worst sanction for newspapers under the current “pseudo-coregulation” was an apology.

“It cannot be that you destroy people’s wellbeing and you just say, ‘I am sorry.’ There must be consequences for wrongdoing.”

Mtimde insisted that the system was defective because “he who pays the piper calls the tune”.

He dismissed arguments that any new ideas about media regulation would be a threat to press freedom, saying: “No, not at all. Let us not stall progressive discussion because we want to protect what exists.”

The colloquium agreed that there would be no prepublication censorship – and no licensing of journalists, as had been proposed by SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

Andile Mbeki, chief executive of the Gauteng Film Commission, said the media was a still a law unto itself.

“Self-regulation has not worked. Any shift since 1994 has been insignificant.”

But Thloloe argued for the ombudsman’s appointment from within the media, saying they had to be a media expert to make a credible ruling on the quality of journalism.

Communications Minister Faith Muthambi echoed demands for an independent regulator, saying the current process favoured the media.

She said the colloquium was meant to strategise on ways to ensure that the media better reflected the views of all South Africans.

“The media must become a mirror of all in society and not just reflect the views of a few.

“This government expects the media to be fearless in its reporting and to continue facilitating public discourse. However, we hope that this fearlessness extends to also driving a narrative that inspires hope in our people.”

Muthambi said she would enforce a policy that government support community media by advertising.

Last year, the ANC decided at its national general council that Parliament had to initiate a process to investigate the feasibility of a media appeals tribunal.

It would report to Parliament, resulting in state control of media content through a regulatory body. Many in the media regarded this as being tantamount to censorship.

But ANC communications subcommittee head Jackson Mthembu said the council’s delegates had reprimanded them about moving too slowly on media regulation.

“Comrades were saying, ‘Why did you retreat from implementing the media appeals tribunal?’ In fact, they were saying that already there is a desirability for the tribunal,” said Mthembu.

Steps have been taken to improve the system. Currently, it works according to coindependent regulation: the SA Press Council comprises mainly of members of the public, and is headed by a retired judge.

The panel that appoints members of the public, as well as the appeals panel – which has the power to overrule the ombudsman – are also headed by retired judges.

TALK TO US

Do you agree that a state regulatory body will lead to media censorship?

SMS us on 35697 using the keyword MEDIA. Please include your name and province. SMSes cost R1.50

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
City Press aims to deliver quality journalism to our readers. We aim to bring you groundbreaking news across different beats of the publication. Which beat do you enjoy reading most from us?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
News
64% - 120 votes
Politics
24% - 44 votes
Entertainment
2% - 3 votes
Opinion
5% - 9 votes
Sports
6% - 11 votes
Vote