Media Tribunal - not if, when

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The_Pumpkin_King

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Defence minister Lindiwe Zulu says the question is not if a Media Appeals Tribunal should be set up, but why it has taken so long to investigate the proposal.

Zulu who briefed delegates in Durban says this was what discussions revolved around at the National General Council media and communication commission.

She told Beeld newspaper in a report on Thursday that delegates wanted to know why the resolution of the 2007 Polokwane conference to investigate the possibility of a Media Appeals Tribunal for print media had not been put to action yet.

"Delegates wanted to know why the recommendation has not been implemented yet. Ways were discussed on how to ensure that it [an investigation] does indeed happen," said Zulu.

The African National Congress wants an independent statutory body accountable to Parliament to deal with complaints against newspapers, instead of only using the self-regulatory system of the Press Ombudsman who currently deals with complaints.

The 2007 document on the party's resolutions states: "Conference adopts the recommendation of the policy conference that the establishment of a MAT [Media Appeals Tribunal] be investigated...

"Conference notes that the creation of a MAT would strengthen, complement and support the current self-regulatory institutions (Press Ombudsman/Press Council) in the public interest."

http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article673221.ece/Media-Tribunal---not-if-when
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Yip - they just looking for excuses to hide their corruption better, typical of the ANC.
 
And then it will end up in the constitutional court and be tied up there for years...

It will be many years, in a best case scenario, before this sees the light of day.
 
Fire up those Twitter, Facebook and other accounts boys... cos when the government starts gagging the media... we start publishing our own news via channels that the SA government cannot touch. This will come back to bite them when the world learns of their attempts to censor free speech.
 
I hope Wikileaks is taking note of future whistleblowing opportunities.
 
Correct me if I am wrong, but surely legislation like this will be ineffectual. I am pretty sure that if and when the press is restricted, they can email their stories to offshore newspapers who can then publish them online pseudonymously? A South African newspaper can just base themselves offshore. If they are based outside of South Africa, then they can't be held accountable in terms of local laws. A system like this, is not effective unless you also have a clamp down on other forms of communication, like in China. I am not saying that this is what the ANC is trying to do, but even their so-called limited interference will not be effective if South African reporters can send their articles off shore and have their stuff published on a site hosted outside of South Africa.
 
Natas said:
Correct me if I am wrong, but surely legislation like this will be ineffectual. I am pretty sure that if and when the press is restricted, they can email their stories to offshore newspapers who can then publish them online pseudonymously? A South African newspaper can just base themselves offshore. If they are based outside of South Africa, then they can't be held accountable in terms of local laws. A system like this, is not effective unless you also have a clamp down on other forms of communication, like in China. I am not saying that this is what the ANC is trying to do, but even their so-called limited interference will not be effective if South African reporters can send their articles off shore and have their stuff published on a site hosted outside of South Africa.
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The vast majority of the ANC support base do not have internet access. And this legislation will almost certainly have references to printed media too.
 
Natas said:
Correct me if I am wrong, but surely legislation like this will be ineffectual. I am pretty sure that if and when the press is restricted, they can email their stories to offshore newspapers who can then publish them online pseudonymously? A South African newspaper can just base themselves offshore. If they are based outside of South Africa, then they can't be held accountable in terms of local laws. A system like this, is not effective unless you also have a clamp down on other forms of communication, like in China. I am not saying that this is what the ANC is trying to do, but even their so-called limited interference will not be effective if South African reporters can send their articles off shore and have their stuff published on a site hosted outside of South Africa.
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Excellent point, good luck explaining that to the ANC and their supports:rolleyes:
 
Natas said:
Correct me if I am wrong, but surely legislation like this will be ineffectual. I am pretty sure that if and when the press is restricted, they can email their stories to offshore newspapers who can then publish them online pseudonymously? A South African newspaper can just base themselves offshore. If they are based outside of South Africa, then they can't be held accountable in terms of local laws. A system like this, is not effective unless you also have a clamp down on other forms of communication, like in China. I am not saying that this is what the ANC is trying to do, but even their so-called limited interference will not be effective if South African reporters can send their articles off shore and have their stuff published on a site hosted outside of South Africa.
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Sorry if it sounds insulting, but this is a very narrow-minded view.

You do realise that a VERY LIMITED number of South Africans have access to the internet, right ?

Millions upon millions of people will not see this 'offshore newspaper' and will be fed info via the New Age newspaper.
 
Wait till your mail starts coming in from overseas opened, with key words, phrases and sentances blacked out :)
 
xrapidx said:
Wait till your mail starts coming in from overseas opened, with key words, phrases and sentances blacked out :)
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I think they will go straight to governments /dev/null mailbox.
 
blunomore said:
You do realise that a VERY LIMITED number of South Africans have access to the internet, right ?
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And now that's very unlikely to change. The last thing they'll want is for every man in the street to be getting free (as in speech) news off the internet.
 
Isnt this whats happening in Zimbabwe with its only official newspaper the Herald? We just have stories on how wonderful the gavamant is and how greatly crime has reduced and the excellent conditions of the road and state medical care. Newspaper will be so wonderful to read then. :~
 
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