The issue South Africa’s ruling party (ANC) requesting the parliament to investigate the ownership and control of the print media has caused a furore amongst the organisations that are in charge of monitoring the media in South Africa.
In his article, Boyle mentions that: “the ANC branded the print media “a protection racket” and urged the Parliament to investigate the creation of a “media appeals tribunal” which would make reporters more accountable”1.
I think that the Media Appeals Tribunal (MAT) has the potential of giving the ruling government extreme power in the media in such a way that it will only release the information that it feels is needed to be heard by the public. This is a huge disadvantage to most citizens of the country as they deserve to know most details about the government that they legitimately voted for. Media Tribunal is a beast just like the “apartheid era” which would deprive the citizens of the country vital information. The ANC is of the opinion that “the print media is too which and too commercial”2. The right to information has nothing to do with race, since we are all equal and it’s good if the print media is too commercial since that works for the economy of the country.
Journalists should be handed the right to investigate all the political parties (including the ruling party) because that serves as justice for the people who are unaware of what is going on in the country, the ANC should not attempt to threaten journalists who engage in this act because the citizens have a right to information. Although the document handed in by the ANC for Media Appeals Tribunal does not specify the sanctions that would be imposed on journalists who give out false reports about the government, ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said that “the party would call for fines and imprisonment for false reporting”3. This is to threaten journalists so that they will think twice about giving out reports that are true.
A united nation is one where media freedom is practiced to its fullest potential, as media analysts say that “the protection of information Bill could kill investigative journalism, and a protection of private information bill that would also curb the work or reporters trying to probe beyond the public statements put out by the government”4. I believe that a fair government in which no corruption takes place should worry less about controlling the media and focus more controlling the situation of the people that are suffering from poverty in the country. The gesture of shaping up the media by the ruling party (ANC) would be unconstitutional.
A veteran editor by the name of Raymond Louw is of the opinion that:
The proposed tribunal and related Protection of Information Bill poses all kind of horrors in the gathering of information. I think one should look at the climate in which this bill has been brought in… it becomes a horrifying list of repressive act against the media by the government5.
The government should not have full control in regulating what can be reported and what constitutes a state secret. Different views are vital when it comes to politics and South Africa needs that since we are a country that is multi-cultural. The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) argues that: “spiteful agendas to undermine the integrity of our organisations and leadership. It goes on to say that other media institutions and organisations such as SANEF and Press Council of South Africa are equally useless in media monitoring and evaluation”6. I think that these are the kind of accusations that the ANC should try to remove from the media.
As I mentioned in this article that the Media Appeals Tribunal is a beast that can harm the unity of South Africa, journalists, citizens and all the involved parties should take a stand in ensuring that the government does not control the media.
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References
Type: Newspaper Article
Author: BRENDAN BOYLE
URL:http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article577048.ece/ANCs-media-tribunal-plan
Date Added: 05 October 2010 12:57:15 PM
Modified: 05 October 2010 12:57:47 PM
Type: Newspaper Article
Author: Christopher Szabo
URL: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/295523
Date Added: 05 October 2010 01:51:00 PM
Modified: 05 October 2010 01:51:37 PM
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