We at Media Monitoring Africa have been monitoring the media in South Africa for the past 23 years and have learnt that crime is not a specialty in our field. What is our speciality is media monitoring and we can attest that Media monitoring is important in that it reveals trends of media coverage on particular issues. It allows one to provide evidence rather than spread baseless accusations: It is on this basis that we would like to share the following three lessons with you:
Lesson 1: The media is not homogenous. Unlike your observations that “all journalists do not investigate their stories” nor do they report on “the factual of the facts” our research has revealed that even though some journalists do get it wrong, in most instances they get it right. (See our report on elections Reporting_Elections_A_Good_Story_to_Tell.pdf )
It is through the very media that today we can question your credentials. It is also through media investigations that you too got to think about Nkandla! Your observations are therefore not only baseless, but place media freedom at risk.
Lesson 2: You confidently argue that journalists need to be regulated because they are clearly bad at what they do. You also suggest that the Press Ombudsman is not the appropriate body to ensure quality journalism because it is not independent. It appears that you have a legitimate concern around issues of self-regulation. However, as you know the Press Ombudsman is now under independent co-regulation.
This means that there are independent members of the public that are represented on the Press Council. It is important to note that even though you do not trust how the system works, it has actually worked and has helped many to receive recourse. You only need to go to the Press Council website and check their rulings to see this
We know that your response to this would be to question the independence of the public representatives as most of them are academics and you clearly expressed at one of the recent TNA business briefings “that academics are also a problem. If you could point to us how many of the graduates you have employed at SABC during your tenure were actually poisoned, maybe we can then better understand your argument against academics.
Lesson 3: There is a difference between Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Both of these positions are important, however they are not equal. According to the current SABC editorial policies (which are now overdue by over 6 years), the SABC CEO is the Editor-in-Chief. This simply means that the CEO provides strategic leadership when it comes to editorial decisions that the News Editor has to make. Given that this should be the case, don’t you think it is best you let the SABC CEO do more of the talking about journalistic practices? He is mandated to do so and is in a much better position to make those observations. The buck stops with him after all!
We hope that these lessons will help you and the SABC. We also hope to further discuss and debate these issues with the News Editor and the Editor-in-Chief.
From Media Monitoring Africa
buy cheap tricor order fenofibrate 200mg online fenofibrate online order
order cialis 5mg online buy sildenafil pill real viagra pharmacy prescription
buy generic precose over the counter order micronase without prescription griseofulvin 250 mg tablet
buy aspirin 75mg sale buy levofloxacin for sale buy generic imiquad over the counter
dipyridamole 100mg cheap buy dipyridamole sale pravachol 10mg usa
melatonin us cost desogestrel 0.075mg order danocrine generic
buy dydrogesterone 10 mg generic januvia ca empagliflozin 25mg tablet
florinef 100mcg pill dulcolax order buy imodium 2 mg without prescription
buy monograph 600mg generic buy monograph 600mg generic pletal cost
how to buy prasugrel buy generic thorazine buy tolterodine 1mg online cheap
ferrous sulfate 100mg without prescription buy cheap betapace order betapace for sale
purchase mestinon online pyridostigmine us maxalt 5mg pills
enalapril 10mg pills bicalutamide medication duphalac brand
purchase zovirax for sale buy xalatan generic buy exelon 3mg sale
oral betahistine 16mg betahistine 16 mg brand where can i buy probalan
buy prilosec 20mg pills generic omeprazole buy generic lopressor 50mg
buy premarin 600 mg generic order sildenafil 100mg online cheap generic sildenafil
purchase telmisartan without prescription how to get plaquenil without a prescription molnunat 200mg cost
order cialis 10mg pills overnight delivery cialis buy generic sildenafil 50mg
buy cenforce 50mg generic order aralen 250mg pill order aralen 250mg without prescription
brand modafinil 200mg promethazine buy online buy prednisone 5mg online
omnicef 300 mg tablet buy glycomet medication order lansoprazole 15mg online
isotretinoin over the counter order amoxicillin 250mg generic zithromax 250mg drug
order atorvastatin 20mg online cheap norvasc 5mg tablet norvasc 5mg for sale
buy azipro no prescription azithromycin 500mg for sale buy generic neurontin over the counter
blackjack online free play roulette online real money lasix 100mg usa
pantoprazole pill buy cheap pantoprazole order pyridium 200 mg online
poker online real money casino online games for real money ventolin 2mg inhaler
symmetrel 100 mg ca order aczone pills cost avlosulfon
sports gambling luckyland slots buy ivermectin 6 mg