Blog

Looking for Hope

I am amazed by two recent media events.  Special Assignment last Tuesday (9/12/2008) was a follow-up to their expose of an alleged paedophile.  Curiously the programme’s focus seemed designed to be more about staving off a legal challenge from the subject of the programme.  Early into the programme the journalist says, “due to ongoing legal threats by his lawyers we decided to do a follow-up story.”  The programme then goes on to highlight other issues relating to the story that occurred prior to the expose first being aired.

Digital migration

On World Aids Day, ICASA held its second day of hearings into Digital Terrestrial Television, and digital migration regulations.  When I first heard about them I had no idea what they were all about, whether they were important or what the issues were.  Luckily as a member of the Save our SABC Coalition (see here) I attended a session where former ICASA councillor Libby Lloyd gave a presentation on Digital Migration.  It was brilliant and I highly recommend you have a look at it as it explains the key concepts in very accessible way. (Libby has kindly given us permission to put it on our website.)  Don’t know your Set top Box from your Dual Illumination?  Check out the presentation.  Libby’s presentation was so effective that it resulted in both the SOS Coalition and MMA making submissions to ICASA on the Digital Migration Regulations.

Political will and violence

We have entered the 16 Days of Activism campaign of no violence against women and children.  Yes it is limited only to the 16 days and yes there are certain difficulties with this. But we also need to acknowledge this for media especially; we need a campaign to ensure that these issues are the major media focus for at least a few weeks of the year.

Celebrating 15 years in style

We are having a party.  Not just because it is the end of the year but because MMP has been monitoring the media since 1993, that’s 15 years. 15 years for a small NGO I think is pretty good, especially when you do what we do, which is monitor the media.

But why have we been doing? Why should you care and how have we managed to stay around doing something some people think involves arriving at the office and reading a newspaper?  I will try and answer some of these questions, but before I do I think it is worth looking at what we have to celebrate.