A new institution that will investigate self-regulation for the print media has been launched.
The Press Freedom Commission, set up by Print Media SA and the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef), was launched in Joburg on Thursday.
However, the ANC immediately expressed reservations that the commission would be effective, saying it was tasked to tackle only self-regulation and not regulation by other bodies.
Speaking at the launch at premises in Melville, donated to the commission free of charge for eight months,
Sanef chairman Mondli Makhanya said this was a historic moment and a first in the world.
“It is an exciting day for the journalistic community. The starting point is that we all want South Africa to have a free media which tells the truth and shines light on every crevice of society,” he said.
During the next eight months, research will be done, as well as debates held around self-regulation. Representations will be called for from various sectors on how best to strengthen self-regulation objectively and to come up with something effective.
“We have had acrimonious arguments with the ruling party, which wants to impose regulations on the media, but instead of continuing to be defensive, we decided, as a professional industry, to look at how we can improve our systems and journalism in general.
“We chose not to shut our ears and realised that, perhaps, we needed some self-interrogation and introspection.
“The best defence against regulation is good, accurate journalism,” Makhanya said.
He said the press ombudsman, under the Press Council, did have a role to play in self-regulation, and that media houses had always abided by the ombudsman’s rulings and punishments.
Asked if this decision would stop the ANC from implementing its proposed regulations, Makhanya said that was not the commission’s intention. “This is their process. Our views are clear that it is something we would not want. Our approach now is moving to a more positive level to create a strong self-regulatory system,” he said.
The commission consists of nine members from various walks of life, including business, religion, labour, academia and law.
It is headed by former Constitutional Court chief justice Pius Langa. He had agreed to serve on the commission, he said, because he believed in and loved South Africa’s constitution, which included the right to freedom of expression.
“It is preferential to try the limits of self-regulation. It is worth a try,” he said.
ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu expressed concern that the new commission had been appointed by Print Media SA and Sanef. It would be looking only at self-regulation, but it should be broader, he said. - The Star