With that cheeky last try of Bryan Habana that made South Africa's entry into the 2007 Rugby World Cup final all the more sweeter last night, still fresh, I wish I could write about happy things today. But the hammering - of nails into the coffin of press freedom and, ergo, democracy - is getting louder. Bit dramatic I know, but those of us in the media who lived through two State of Emergencies and one of the most repressive regimes in the world under apartheid, prize press freedom even more. One wonders if the current Government has been dusting off the policies of John Vorster and PW Botha in their latest attempt to target the editors of the Sunday Times for arrest and intimidation. There are two issues here: the theft of Manto's medical records, which a court of law will address if charges are brought against the newspaper; and then there is the far more sinister undertone of alleged Government-directed police action against the journalists - 'phone tapping, monitoring, digging up dirt..." - the hallmark of oppressive governments. And on that extremely concerning note, it's no wonder that industry bodies like the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) Board and other businesses feel they can attack journalists and media commentators at will when they are criticised, threatening legal action and calling their professionalism into account, if that is the example set by the highest governing body of them all, our democratically-elected Government. Shame on you!
Have a good week. Louise Marsland, editor@bizcommunity.co. Marketing news: marketingnews@bizcommunity.co. Responses to this column welcomed on our blog.