'Flawed' publications bill becomes law

[sleez]

http://www.richmarksentinel.co.za/rs_headlines.asp?recid=1462

'Flawed' publications bill becomes law
Monday, August 31, 2009 [ Reads: 29 / Comments:0 ]
CAPE TOWN Aug 31 Sapa

The Films and Publications Amendment Bill, described by critics
as deeply flawed and unconstitutional, has been signed into law.

The measure was promulgated in the Government Gazette last week.

When it was introduced in 2006, the media industry protested
that it paved the way for pre-publication censorship and
criminalised free expression.

Although a version was approved by Parliament, then-president
Kgalema Motlanthe in January this year decided not to sign it into
law, and referred it back to the legislature.

Raymond Louw, deputy chair of the SA chapter of the Media
Institute of Southern Afica, said on Monday that Parliament had not
made any substantive changes to that version.

"We deplore the fact that the bill has been signed into law,
because it will bring a range of problems for the media generally,"
he said.

Head of the media freedom committee at the SA National Editors'
Forum Thabo Leshilo said he had not seen a gazetted version of the
act.

"We need to look at the published act, thereafter we will give a
considered response," he said.

The department of home affairs introduced the bill partly in a
bid to combat child pornography.

Critics said however it paved the way for pre-publication
censorship, and that an exemption for newspapers who fell under the
press ombudsman left more than 500 other newspapers and
publications out in the cold.

Critics also expressed concerns at clauses aimed at limiting
publication of propaganda for war, incitement to violence, and the
depiction of sexual conduct.

The incitement to violence clause, they said, could be used to
curtail reporting on service delivery protests.



Source : Sapa /dbm/ks
Date : 31 Aug 2009 18:33 OrigID : LP850864

ANC says STFU

 

[smokey]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! Kill the counter-revolutionaries. KILL KILL KILL!

Erm... was that legal?

 

[Fudzy]

Geez the public broadcast channels are going to become boring on the weekends. On the flipside though, more comedies and less b-grade action flicks would be greatly appreciated.

 

[smokey]

Geez the public broadcast channels are going to become boring on the weekends. On the flipside though, more comedies and less b-grade action flicks would be greatly appreciated.

So you mean more parliament reporting, less coverage of the various strikes happening around SA?

 

[tco21]

What exactly does the new bill constitute, or rather what possible effects are probable?

 

[DreamKing]

bingo again!

I have to start a thread calls "road to become a dictator"

 

[sox63]

And in other news, law firms are said to be excited at the prospect of increased work loads...

Lets see if AVUSA, Media24, etc will do anything.