Over the last year we have seen worrying increases in threats to media freedom in South Africa. We have also seen a rise in challenges to media credibility, resulting in threats of state interference to media regulation. Next month, media and civil society are gearing up to remember and celebrate the media freedom that does exist and take the opportunity to focus on the positive wins that we, as a nation, have achieved. In light of this, Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) is thrilled to announce Media Freedom Week 2017, a series of super cool and critical discussions during the week 16-19 October 2017. Each of these early evening discussions will take place at a different venue with a different line-up of speakers discussing a different media-related topic. Discussions will range from children and digital literacy issues through to big legal wins for media freedom. We will also have an evening where we talk aboutsome of the threats and opportunities for journalists in the current environment as well as what is happening in the online regulation space at the moment. There will be something for everyone!
“Media Freedom Week is in part to commemorate Black Wednesday [19 October], but also to showcase some of the great work that the media and civil society are doing to contribute to and improve the sector more broadly. Inasmuch as we want to celebrate and commemorate what’s happened in the media this year, we also hope that each event will highlight the good things that are taking place.” – William Bird, MMA Director.
Each event is open to the public and will be free of charge. They will each take place at 18h00 for 18h30 until 19h30 followed by light refreshments.
Please follow online at @MediaMattersza (Twitter), MediaMattersza (Facebook) or our web page (www.mediamonitoringafrica.org) for updates.
To RSVP, please complete the Google Form found here
For more details, please contact:
Sarah Findlay or William Bird
Tel: 011 788 1278
Email: sarahf@mma.org.za or williamb@mma.org.za
