'Let parly rule on media regulation'

THE ANC has shot down the Press Freedom Commission - an initiative to explore ways of strengthening self-regulation - saying the body will become a mere stooge of the print media.

The Press Freedom Commission (PFC) is an independent investigative commission initiated by the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) and Print Media South Africa (PMSA). It is headed by former Constitutional Court judge Pius Langa.

Speaking at the PFC launch, Langa said the initiative was aimed at ensuring press freedom and enhancing democracy.

"If I am overseas and I am questioned about my preference regarding the press and I have to talk about things that I am proud about ... I would be proud to talk about a media that is self-regulated rather than one that is regulated by the state," Langa said.

In response, ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said the PFC's mandate to come up only with a self-regulating solution would limit the institution and would turn the commission "of such eminent persons into playboys of Sanef and PMSA".

He said the ANC would be happy if the PFC was to explore both self-regulation and the proposal for a statutory media appeals tribunal and then present its input to Parliament as "the final arbiter on the matter".

A member of the commission, Professor Kwame Karikari from Ghana, said there was sufficient historical and contemporary evidence showing that statutory regulation of the press undermined freedom of the press and freedom of expression.

"Where there is self-regulation of the press the state of democracy is stronger and the governance is also enhanced."

Karikari said he was part of the commission because he believed that self-regulation was good and the objective was to look at its weaknesses to strengthen it.