SA editors on WikiLeaks - publish and be cautious

One way of looking at the latest WikiLeaks information dump is to see it as a bit of a leak in a teacup, as it were. A whole lot of US diplomats are rather upset, because they feel the leak has restricted their ability to conduct diplomacy in a civilised fashion.

By Theresa Mallinson

2 Dec 2010

But the issue is bigger than the personal embarrassment at having your private dispatches open to public scrutiny. Among others, it's provided a whole new platform from which to launch the debate around the role of journalism. What is the stance of South African editors?

Much of the information released in "cablegate" to date (485 cables and counting) falls into the category of gossip and opinion, rather than revelations of cold, hard facts; it offers more colour to stories we already know about, rather than breaking new ground. More interesting than reading about Muammar Gaddafi's voluptuous blonde nurse or what the Yanks really think of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, is to follow the debate about whether the cables should've been leaked in the first place.

Continue reading the full story on www.thedailymaverick.co.za.

About Theresa Mallinson

Theresa Mallinson has lived and worked as an itinerant writer, subeditor and sometimes teacher, plying her trade in such exotic destinations as Vaduz, Dubai, and Cape Town. But that's all changed since she became a journalist at the Daily Maverick (www.thedailymaverick.co.za) and managing editor at Free African Media. For now, she's very happy to be living in Jozi. Follow her on Twitter at @tcmallinson and contact her on theresa.mallinson@gmail.com.
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