The battle for media freedom - Louw

"This is reflected in the conduct of their officials in seeking to restrict the media. Access of information is not as readily available today as it was in the glow of 1994, which has rapidly faded. We now see spin-doctoring, if not downright lies, when uncomfortable and embarrassing information is to be dealt with and much withholding of information," Louw said.

"We see the authorities on occasion barring or trying to bar journalists from newsworthy events.

"Commercial interests are now using judicial processes to try to prevent the publication of embarrassing stories and a judiciary susceptible to the application of an interdict to prevent publication."

However, Government and its "allies" and "spin-doctors" are not the only culprits involved in this macabre plot. Likewise, media owners also stand accused of being accessories to the downfall of the media. Often lacking a deontological knowledge of the press, pressurised by market trends and only motivated by financial gain, Louw said that these proprietors' decisions to cut staff and other resources in the quest to keep their products viable, has resulted in the failure and reduction of press coverage.

Vigilant

"But the overall aura is one of freedom and in this climate journalists tend to become complacent and less vigilant than they should be; indeed they begin to show signs of failing to make full use of their freedom," he emphasised.

Forever young, humble, unselfish, outspoken and dedicated, octogenarian Louw - a veteran SANEF member - is a fierce defender of media freedom in the world and was one of a group who founded the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI), then known as Save the Press Committee back in the 1980s. At that time, the Government was about to introduce the licensing of journalists, which he said, would have spelled the end of the few freedom the media had. And, as a Rand Daily Mail editor (1966 - 1977) and later becoming general manager (1977 - 1982), he has fearlessly operated in what could only be described as the world's most brutal and undemocratic political environments, which was hostile to free press, civil liberties and diversity of views.

Brave

But he has stood the test of time and survived to tell the tale. He now recounts what it was like working in such an environment: "I was lucky to be appointed to head an extremely capable and courageous group of journalists who not only believed that the 'Mail' was the best newspaper in South Africa, but were also imbued with the keen appreciation of the important principles of journalism - get the story, get it right and publish it and be damned.

"They came from across the political spectrum but put journalism first. They were extraordinarily imaginative, daring and brave in carrying out their duties, frequently risking the wrath of authorities and even roughed up and detained. Some of them were jailed without trial and banned."

Louw describes that unfriendly-media environment as very challenging, saying that because of the Nationalist Party government's machinations, journalists were taught to be critical, sceptical, disbelieving and constantly probing.

Asked to paint a general picture of today's media environment, he said: "Well, of course, the media is free. Much more free than in the apartheid era, with its restrictive laws, state of emergency and other forms of repression. Journalists today are doing a good job but there is no media freedom paradise anywhere in the world.

"Nevertheless, unquestioning acceptance of a media freedom environment because of a piece of paper called the Constitution is by far the greatest danger facing journalists in a democracy."

Threats

He cited the example of the SABC blacklisting saga as one of the many threats and restrictions hampering freedom of expression in today's 'open' society.

Asked to advise politicians and the private sector as to how best to uphold the democratic values, Louw replied: "Politicians can find all the rules in various guidebooks relating to their duties and privileges. They can also study the Constitution which spells it clearly in clauses 7 and 8, that every authority is ordered to maintain, promote and protect the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.

"As for the private sector and public, they should remember that press freedom is their freedom, take it away and all people's freedoms are gone. There is one truth I abide by - and that is without a free and independent press with all its blemishes, democracy will not survive and all its pillars -the independence of the judiciary, freedom of movement, dignity and transparency and so on - will start to collapse."

Louw is currently the editor and publisher of Southern Africa Report, a weekly current affairs newsletter founded in 1983 when he left the old South African Associated Newspapers (SAAN).

He is also the deputy chairperson of the South African Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), council member of SANEF, executive member of FXI and Africa representative of the World Freedom Committee.

Louw participated in a World Press Freedom Committee-IPI plea to the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Switzerland (1987) on the need to entrench press freedom as a human right.

He was also awarded the Pringle Medal for services to journalism by the SA Society of Journalists in 1976 and 1992, and the MISA's Press Freedom Award in Namibia in August 2005.