Media, ANC 'war' over media freedom intensifies

"We will not back down"

"We will not back down and we will not make any further concessions apart from the one we made a few years ago when we overhauled self-regulation," Raymond Louw, deputy chairperson of the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) media freedom committee, said yesterday, Monday, 30 August 2010, at the SANEF media freedom summit with stakeholders in Johannesburg.

"We introduced the Press Council when government threatened to introduce statutory regulation, and that was long before the proposed media appeals tribunal. I am saying we should be very careful and firm not to make another one because the Press Council is enough," he added.

"They have spoken about a whole range of issues, from transformation to ownership and diversity, but we know and understand that all that is an attempt to control the media.

" We will oppose in many ways"

"We will oppose in many ways any attempt by the ANC to remove us from self-regulation as the media believe in their independence," Louw said, in a clear sign of fearlessness and defiance against the ANC.

He also reminded the government that the Bill of Rights as enshrined in the Constitution entails that the state protect, safeguard and promote the right to freedom of expression. But, freedom of expression - a luxury item in many African countries - has never been a best friend of many governments on this continent.

African leaders firmly believe that allowing it will be tantamount to exposing themselves - their inability to lead and deliver services, and abuse of power, corruption and nepotism - to the eagle eyes of independent journalists, academics, opposition politicians and western donors.

In a move to show that it means business and is determined to take this fight as far as it can, SANEF is spearheading a partnership with all sectors of SA society to position themselves in the fight for media freedom. The group is called Coalition for Free Speech.

Extend control to the Internet

Meanwhile, one legal expert believes that if the media appeals tribunal is established and the Protection of Information Bill is enacted, the ANC could extend its control of the media over the Internet.

Okyerebea Ampofo-Anti, of law firm Webber & Wentzel, said: "We might begin to see a situation whereby the ANC will force someone who wants to start a blog site to get some form of registration. Even those who have journalism degrees could be told: you want to become a journalist? Well, register to get a licence, otherwise sit down and shut up."

Some observers believe that if the ANC extends its control of media over the Internet as well, there is a possibility that any online content will be closely monitored and possibly filtered, and that companies and individuals found 'guilty of misuse and offending the revolution' will be severely punished.