A number of civil society organisations continue to voice concerns over the enactment, possibly this year, of bills such as the much-hated Protection of Information Bill (aka Secrecy Bill), ICASA Amendment Bill and Public Broadcasting Service Bill - a series of legislation which will allegedly give control of all aspects of the media and information to the state.
And to rub salt into the open wounds of the independent media, which have vowed not to abdicate in the face of the government's threats and bullying tactics, the media appeals tribunal (MAT) - an extra-judicial body - will soon start punishing 'wayward' journalists and editors.
'Doesn't mean it's off the table'
Prof Guy Berger, head of the journalism school at Rhodes University, told Bizcommunity.com this week: "The omission of the tribunal from the speech does not mean that it is now off the table. Parliament, not the ANC, is now the site where it will be contested during 2011, so the president did not need to deal with it again.
"As per the party's mandate, the MPs are supposed to conduct hearings into press self-regulation. That's where the case will need to be made that a statutory tribunal is not compatible with the ANC's historical commitment to press freedom.
"The Secrecy Bill will also continue to be contested in Parliament, and it is likely to face constitutional challenge if it is passed without substantial reforms."
Zuma, whose party has long suspected certain media houses of boasting hidden agendas which include publishing 'untruths' to boost sales and ruin people's lives, told the nation last week: "The country needs a strong and diverse media that is independent of commercial and political interests, which will support nation-building as well as efforts to deepen, consolidate and strengthen our democracy, social cohesion and good governance."
The 68-year-old polygamist president, who was speaking at the 99th commemorative anniversary of the ANC, also said that ANC cadres have a responsibility to promote progressive traditions within the intellectual community, which includes universities and the media.
Asked why the president would want to link ANC cadres to universities and the media - two institutions some believe should stay neutral and free of political interference - Berger replied: "This is not quite the same as saying that the ANC is deploying cadres to these institutions, which would be more problematic.
"The issue with actual deployment would be accountability - with deployed people accountable primarily to the party's imperatives, and not to the mandate of the institution. This could undermine the integrity and transparency of the institutions concerned.
"Need to respect conditions of employment"
"While individuals are free to affiliate to a political party, and to promote what that party sees as 'progressive traditions' in any social sphere, they do need to respect the conditions of their employment.
"For instance, a journalist should be wary about promoting the ANC (or other party) in terms of political coverage over rival bodies, because this can damage credibility and independence."
Berger, an outgoing board member of the government-controlled* Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA), added: "Partisan journalism is acceptable, but even then it should meet some ethical standards of truth and balance, and not represent a hidden agenda.
"As far as universities go, lecturers and students with political ideologies are free to promote these, but again within a context of respect for academic freedom and the values of truth and balance."
*Correction 13 January 2011 at 12.14pm: In terms of the MDDA Act No. 14 of 2002 which establishes the agency, Section 2 of the act provides that "The Agency is a juristic person known as the Media Development and Diversity Agency. The Agency acts only through the Board. The Agency must act in terms of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No. 1 of 1999). The Agency is independent and must be impartial and exercise its powers and perform its duties without fear, favour or prejudice and without any political or commercial interference. The Agency must not interfere in the editorial content of the media." As such, the MDDA is It is an independent body acting in terms of the MDDA Act; subject to the Constitution Act of 1996 and other laws of the Republic of South Africa; and is funded jointly by Government and the media. Bizcommunity apologies for incorrectly stating that the agency is government-controlled.
