New order must learn from Mbeki's media mistakes

Apart from the SABC, the ANC's relationship with influential mass media in this country has been tenuous at best. And while Jacob Zuma might well speak out as he did last week about the importance of a free press and the ANC's respect for it, there is no doubt that many very influential people within the ANC would dearly love to see the media muzzled just enough to tone down level of anti-government invective.

Thabo's trap

During his years in office, Mbeki fell into the trap of treating the media in a way that seems to have become typically South African. He saw the media essentially as an enemy and kept it at a distance and mostly in the dark. In about the same that SA Rugby, SAFA, the 2010 LOC and many other organisations do.

What is worrying is that any number of political commentators have suggested that Kgalema Motlanthe, while a very different person to Mbeki, shares the former president's penchant for being media-shy, media-cynical and media-wary.

Hopefully, someone will brief Motlanthe on the mechanisation of the media - what makes it tick and what makes it objective.

Fall from grace

Lack of communication, secrecy and confrontation do not make for an objective media. That was Mbeki's mistake. As Independent Newspapers group editor-in-chief, Peter Sullivan, pointed out after Polokwane, if Mbeki had decided to have regular meetings or briefings with the media instead of keeping it at arm's length for months at a time, his fall from grace might not have happened.

Whether it is Government or business, something that is clear is that those who seek to establish meaningful relationships with key media get treated a lot more fairly and objectively. I am not suggesting for a minute that relationships mean becoming bosom buddies and drinking partners. But, relationships should be founded on mutual respect and at least a modicum of trust.

Forcing speculation

Without that, the media will always speculate and in doing so probably get things wrong from time to time. The press does not speculate because it wants to. It speculates because it is forced to. Which suggests that when the media gets things wrong about Government , it is Government and not the media that is to blame.

The Mbeki era was one in which South Africa's mass media was marginalised by the ANC, not only by Mbeki but many of his cabinet ministers, who saw the media only as troublemakers and not the eyes, ears and voices of their voters - something which the media can be if given the chance.

Understanding its place

Hopefully, the new order of the ANC will at least seek to understand the workings of the mass media. And will understand that part of learning to govern is very much also understanding how to deal with the media.

Good governance, whether for a country or a business, will not happen unless the mass media is part of the process.