News
- Business leaders raise voice for press freedom
Business leaders yesterday entered the press freedom debate, unequivocally rejecting the idea of a media appeals tribunal.
- SA journos heading for jail: SANEF
The words “prison bars” and “Osama bin Laden” came up in discussions on the future of media freedom in South Africa on Tuesday.
- Zuma slams press in letter
Writing on his party’s website, Zuma challenged the bona fides of the country’s journalists and defended plans for a statutory media appeals tribunal.
Mondli Makhanya, chairman of the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) and Avusa editor-in-chief, said yesterday that Zuma’s letter was a serious setback in the search for a common understanding between government and media.
- Media freedom under threat
Journalists and editors met with the South African National Editors Forum on Wednesday to discuss current threats to media freedom in the country.
- A stronger, not weaker, Icasa is needed to sort out the SABC
Much of the controversy surrounding the Public Service Broadcasting Bill has focused on the proposed tax and the role of the minister of communications. Less attention has focused on the implications of the Bill for the regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa).
- Media ‘neglecting plight of women’
South African media are contributing to the disempowerment of women, despite the fact that issues involving gender equality, women’s poverty and health are of primary importance to the country’s agenda, according to research by Media Monitoring Africa (MMA), which was released last week.
- Media’s election coverage confusing and lacks quality - MMA
As the South African general elections draw near, the media has stepped up its coverage. The Media Monitoring Africa (MMA), which monitors media content, has however expressed concern about the lack of quality of election stories that it feels confuse audiences.
- SA media ‘bungles’ elections coverage says MMA
Despite SA media’s wide and consistent coverage of the elections, Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) has slammed the media for what MMA perceives to be the former’s election bias and bungling. The MMA says journalists and editors have failed to comprehensively address the ‘supreme’ topics - service delivery and poverty.
- Public editor ‘would give SABC a credible face’
Broadcaster could benefit from new appointment as more interaction with the public is required. THE SABC could address its crisis of credibility through the appointment of a public editor.
- Media missing big election issues: analyst
The media should ensure that tougher questions are asked to politicians during the run up to the 2009 elections, to hold them accountable for their actions. This was the word of William Bird, Director of the Media Monitoring Africa, who spoke to VOC’s Drivetime on Wednesday, who was analysing the media coverage during this period. In research conducted by the independent body, he explained that it was found that media were not putting political parties ‘on the spot’ and questioning them about promises which they made during their previous election campaign.