Understand your sources, Prof Kruger tells media

"How can we do our business better? We have to look closely at what that person is telling us and if it can be verified in some other ways. Is it interpretation, speculation or prediction?" Prof Kruger said.

"Can be very dangerous"

"Using sources that have a hidden agenda can be very dangerous," he warned.

The ANC's proposal to establish a media appeals tribunal (MAT) has led to a mad rush by the media to do some soul-searching and look at ways of rectifying their mistakes to put order in their houses. Prof Kruger, director of Wits Radio Academy, said one of these strategies includes accuracy, which he described as critical to ensure that stories stood up to journalism accepted standards.

"We should not take sides, and we need to raise the bar about leaked information," the senior lecturer said, adding that during Jacob Zuma's troubles with the law, the media was seen by the ANC current leadership as taking sides and playing a huge role in that 'conspiracy'.

"The view held by that small group of powerful people was that the media was wishing that Zuma would not be elected president of the ANC and president of the country.

"Have to be very careful, very professional"

"I'm not saying that we should rest on our laurels, do nothing and be cautious from now on, but we have to be very careful and very professional, especially the way we deal with intra-party politics of the ANC, because our cleaning-up will only come from our newsrooms," he said.

Deputy press ombudsman Johan Retief said: "If MAT becomes a statutory body and Parliament appoints Judge Albie Sachs to head it, we will all be happy."

Retief conceded that self-regulation was not perfect, but the ANC's call was a blessing in disguise to help the media to put order in their houses.

"We are working hard to improve our system focusing on three documents, including the press code," he said, adding that he had done an extensive research and already looked at 25 press codes from Africa, 22 from Europe and some 18 from Asia.

"Some newspapers don't cooperate"

"But I have to admit that some newspapers don't cooperate, which erodes the credibility of our office. And I must say these newspapers are scoring an own goal, and therefore playing at the hands of the MAT.

"The ANC has done us a favour, please let's take it."

Furthermore, Retief said he was surprised by the ANC's claims that the office of the ombudsman is biased because it is run by a former journalist. "Bias is a myth; don't buy it," he said.

However, Wits University Prof Anton Harber said it was impossible for the media to be totally independent of ownership, political attitudes, ties, favours, and funding.

Urged not to be hysterical

ANC senior member Dr Essop Pahad urged the media not to be hysterical as there will be a long process before MAT is even established. "It is a long process. Let's me tell you that after this month's national general council, all the resolutions will go through the national executive council which will sit down and scrutinise them and see how they can be implemented."

For more:

• Press Council of South Africa:

  • South African Press Code
    
  • Complaints procedures

  • Complaints form