TODAY SA Africa celebrates its Media Freedom Day.
On October 19 1977 the apartheid government banned The World and the Weekend World as well as Pro Veritate, a religious publication run by the late Beyers Naudé.
The day was later known as Black Wednesday.
With the advent of democracy the day was declared Media Freedom Day and has since been commemorated as such.
This 34th anniversary of that fateful day comes at a time when serious concerns are being raised about the ANC-led government's encroachment on to press freedom.
The first salvo was fired during the ruling party's 2007 national conference, where there was a proposal for the establishment of a media tribunal.
The argument was that media self-regulation was not effective and the media were having a field day trampling on people's right to dignity and privacy.
Now the government has introduced the Protection of Information Bill - dubbed the secrecy bill - which will make it criminal for journalists and civilians to be in possession of what the state deems to be classified documents. A major criticism against the bill is that it will have the effect of undermining efforts to expose corruption in the public sector.
While containing some protection for whistle-blowers employed by the state, the bill has none for ordinary citizens and journalists who expose state secrets that reveal wrongdoing or corruption.
Hence the call for the inclusion of a public interest defence for investigative journalists and whistle-blowers.
As Sowetan we support self-regulation in the media. Hence our support for the Press Commission - an initiative aimed at finding the most effective self-regulating standard for the media in this country.
As part of our celebration of the media freedom that many South Africans lay down their lives for, we also call for the inclusion of the public defence in the Protection of Information Bill.
We do so because we reject any attempt to turn ordinary South Africans and journalists into foreign spies.
Our Constitution clearly states that press freedom does not extend to "propaganda for war, incitement of imminent violence, or advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion and that constitutes incitement to cause harm".
We firmly believe that these clearly spelled out limitations on press freedom should serve as guide for every South African towards achieving a free, vibrant, ethical and robust media.
No more limitations
TODAY SA Africa celebrates its Media Freedom Day.
On October 19 1977 the apartheid government banned The World and the Weekend World as well as Pro Veritate, a religious publication run by the late Beyers Naudé.
The day was later known as Black Wednesday.
With the advent of democracy the day was declared Media Freedom Day and has since been commemorated as such.
This 34th anniversary of that fateful day comes at a time when serious concerns are being raised about the ANC-led government's encroachment on to press freedom.
The first salvo was fired during the ruling party's 2007 national conference, where there was a proposal for the establishment of a media tribunal.
The argument was that media self-regulation was not effective and the media were having a field day trampling on people's right to dignity and privacy.
Now the government has introduced the Protection of Information Bill - dubbed the secrecy bill - which will make it criminal for journalists and civilians to be in possession of what the state deems to be classified documents. A major criticism against the bill is that it will have the effect of undermining efforts to expose corruption in the public sector.
While containing some protection for whistle-blowers employed by the state, the bill has none for ordinary citizens and journalists who expose state secrets that reveal wrongdoing or corruption.
Hence the call for the inclusion of a public interest defence for investigative journalists and whistle-blowers.
As Sowetan we support self-regulation in the media. Hence our support for the Press Commission - an initiative aimed at finding the most effective self-regulating standard for the media in this country.
As part of our celebration of the media freedom that many South Africans lay down their lives for, we also call for the inclusion of the public defence in the Protection of Information Bill.
We do so because we reject any attempt to turn ordinary South Africans and journalists into foreign spies.
Our Constitution clearly states that press freedom does not extend to "propaganda for war, incitement of imminent violence, or advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion and that constitutes incitement to cause harm".
We firmly believe that these clearly spelled out limitations on press freedom should serve as guide for every South African towards achieving a free, vibrant, ethical and robust media.
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