Durban - Parliament would be tasked with looking into the “desirability” of setting up a “statutory independent media appeals tribunal”, the ANC's national general council said on Thursday.
“It should be parliament that investigates its desirability and feasibility. That investigation could go either way,” said ANC national executive committee member Pallo Jordan at a media briefing in Durban.
“The existing self-regulatory system... is ineffective and needs to be strengthened.”
Some 2 200 delegates agreed that parliament would decide on what form the tribunal would take - it could take the form of self-regulation, co-regulation or independent regulation.
If parliament agrees that a media appeals tribunal is needed, the ANC recommends that it should be “independent of commercial and party political interference” and it should not be in the form of pre-publication censorship.
The ANC's suggestion of a media appeals tribunal sent shock waves through the media fraternity, who raised concern over its effect on press freedom. - Sapa