SABC’s frequency is jammed

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Promising to investigate this mess, and to roll the head of anyone responsible, was a good step. But the SABC's reaction since last week has been very disappointing.

I was actually wondering on my way in to work this morning what our options for joining the conversation are. I am a license fee-paying viewer, and as such I have an interest in how the news is presented to me and, I guess, an interest in how my license fee monies are spent - frivolous lawsuits designed to close down the freedom of the press are not acceptable.
 
Dali Mpofu said heads would roll if the allegations were substantiated.
Why are we waiting?

I am also very surprised that ETV News has not had a field day with this from a credibility point of view. Snuki took it upon himself to decide what the public should and should not hear/see. That amounts to blatant censorship and propaganda.
 
yea i do think that was a bit harsh, only thing is, you have to understand, that every single day i hear about reverse racism, my people are being ignored, we are being walked over like its not even funny.

So i dont have money to pay if i would be arrested, so that means i would go to jail. im white, im 22, how far do you think im going to get?

Would you seriously wish that upon somebody just for raising their opinion?

im seriously thinking of emmigrating. i suggest you do the same, we are in a state of denial, this place is going to fall apart!
 
saffakanera said:
yea i do think that was a bit harsh, only thing is, you have to understand, that every single day i hear about reverse racism, my people are being ignored, we are being walked over like its not even funny.

So i dont have money to pay if i would be arrested, so that means i would go to jail. im white, im 22, how far do you think im going to get?

Would you seriously wish that upon somebody just for raising their opinion?

im seriously thinking of emmigrating. i suggest you do the same, we are in a state of denial, this place is going to fall apart!
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Thats nice pupa, and no, I dont think its harsh. Your whole way of thinking and ideology is wrong if you have to resort to hate speach. I really hope the mods go further with this. Siffies like you are a digust from the past.
 
As for the matter of the SABC, we should have expected this comming a looong time ago.
 
@Saffakanera

I was about to impose a 1 week ban on your user name.
You deleted that post just in time. ;)

Keep it on the level please.
Have you taken note of the MyADSL Terms and Conditions?

Regards,
BTTB
MyADSL Moderator
 
Lol - reverse racism. Let's sort this issue out in our heads once and for all... racism is simply hate for another person based on their differing race. Reverse racism is the same hate. Let's just use the word hate, it carries more meaning.
 
thank you BTTB, i do apologise profously! So sorry i dont know what i was doing!

haha, sorry about that. i quickly realised what a stupid stupid post that was :)

thanks.
 
Contradicting himself again?

On Paula Slier: “From the movement where I come from we support PLO. But she supported what’s happening in Israel. And then I said to them Paula Slier we cannot use her on the Middle East issue because we know where she stands. We need somebody who’s impartial.”
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Making a lot of sense there!

I refuse to watch anything SABC-produced anymore anyway, even the non-news political stuff is becoming like propaganda. I still think its ridiculous we're forced to pay for it even if we don't want to watch it.
 
Hey Wiz

w1z4rd said:
Thats nice pupa, and no, I dont think its harsh. Your whole way of thinking and ideology is wrong if you have to resort to hate speach. I really hope the mods go further with this. Siffies like you are a digust from the past.
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Mayb you could remove the actual quote so as not to unecessarily irk people. Just a suggestion.
 
Please mate i BEG of you remove that quote, the longer you leave it there the more chance i have of getting into trouble, I DONT WANT TO GO TO JAIL PLEASE MATE!!!!! this is very serious, i understand you are angry but i WILL die in jail! please man this is NO JOKE PLEASE!!!
 
Attack exposes Harber’s prejudice

Business Day Letter from Thami Mazwai. Mazwai is on the board of the SABC but writes in his personal capacity.

THE furore around Snuki Zikalala and the so-called blacklist is the continuation of a witch-hunt on the one hand and, on the other, a further manifestation of the resentment, or suspicion, in certain quarters when African National Congress (ANC) people are appointed to key positions. Anton Harber, who led the latest charge in his column last week, drags my name into the equation and misquotes me. Let me correct him.
In my Mail & Guardian (August 4) interview, I said of the SABC blend of journalism: “… rather than be attack dogs or lapdogs, we are guide dogs”. I never mentioned watchdogs.

It is true I said allegations against President Thabo Mbeki must only be published after having been tested in a court of law. I explained that any allegation against him impacts on the saleability of our country. Conveniently, Harber does not refer to my explanation. To cap it all, checking and cross-checking facts are not some of his strong points, hence he says I am chair of the news committee. This mantle has been worn by my good colleague Cecil Msomi since this board was formed.

A few weeks ago, the SABC appointed a commission after an uproar driven by the media. These claimed that Zikalala has a list of people he does not want on SABC platforms because of their political views. The report has been given to the board, and the CEO, Dali Mpofu, has, in terms of justice, asked Zikalala to respond. But the knives are out for Zikalala as the zealots of tradition, even if it is apartheid-era journalism, scream: “Crucify him!”


I take issue with Harber’s opportunistic intervention based on his one-sided view of history and life. His real gripe is that our portrayal of a diversity of opinion is not compatible to his notion of diversity. Were we to load our platforms with the Freedom of Expression Institute and their satellite structures, and the usual potpourri of loudmouths in Cape Town, Grahamstown and Johannesburg who have arrogated themselves over us as custodians of liberal principles and values, he would be chortling with delight.

For the record, every news organisation has a list of people it phones for comment or analysis, and people it will not phone for various reasons, one being that they no longer add value. These lists are names discussed in internal news planning meetings. I am on several of them. Whether this is fair or not, publications have the right to decide who graces their medium.

This silent form of McCarthyism is of course not something that Harber will moan about. As a public broadcaster, such a travesty is not supported by the board, and our editorial policy stands up to public scrutiny. In applying this policy, news management, and this includes Zikalala, must make on-the-spot judgments on who best could provide diversity and quality commentary. If errors of judgment are made, then we will take any appropriate corrective measures.

But this does not mean we should introduce editorial vetting that suits only one part of the opinion spectrum to titillate the Harbers of this world. Editorial vetting at the SABC, in my view, takes place not on the basis of political differences as he seems to suggest, but rather on ability to provide quality and diversity of opinion on matters that, per definition, have different views.

The rabid, McCarthyist witch hunt of Zikalala is part of a spectrum of minority opinion which wants the public to believe that anything that bears any relation, however tenuous or associative, with government or the ruling party is anathema. Because of this association, any such opinion cannot be accepted as “objective” or even true. This is why Zikalala’s appointment was opposed; not for his professional capabilities, but simply because of his (and I quote Harber) “closeness” to the ANC. Zikalala’s developmental journalism is perceived to be pro-government, when what the Harbers want is the traditional libertarian approach of keeping government on its toes.

Finally, the bigger picture is that this is about controlling the levers of power, and media is a major instrument. They want somebody with their view of life to be at the helm of news and most key positions in our country. We will recall that when Selby Baqwa was appointed public protector, issues were raised about his ANC background as it was suspected he would tolerate ANC misdemeanours.

There is this general assumption that ANC people are unable to maintain a professional balance between their public and private lives. What nonsense. Oh, and for the record, I am not a member of the ANC. I am an old-fashioned journalist who believes in fairness, balance and honest journalism where agendas are declared.
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saffakanera said:
thank you BTTB, i do apologise profously! So sorry i dont know what i was doing!

haha, sorry about that. i quickly realised what a stupid stupid post that was :)

thanks.
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Ok, saffakanera. :)

No harm done then.

Take Care.
Regards,
BTTB
MyADSL Moderator
 
I do not have a problem with using some analysts, and not using others. It happens in every newsroom in the world; for financial, political, advertising, or logistical reasons.

I do have a problem when I am lied to and told that this is not the policy of the SABC as it is happening.

I don't think that Zikalala should be fired for his journalistic practises - I do believe he should be dismissed for authorising a public statement that he knew to be false.
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[mods: should this thread not be in News and Current Affairs rather than Broadband and IT?]
 
It is true I said allegations against President Thabo Mbeki must only be published after having been tested in a court of law.
So the public only has a right to know about the allegations if he's found guilty? Before then it should be kept silent?

For the record, every news organisation has a list of people it phones for comment or analysis, and people it will not phone for various reasons, one being that they no longer add value. These lists are names discussed in internal news planning meetings. I am on several of them. Whether this is fair or not, publications have the right to decide who graces their medium.
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So how do you define adding value? If someone disagrees with your political point of view do they no longer add value? And no, publications that are taxpayer-funded, both directly and via licence fees, do not "have the right to decide who graces their medium". If you want to spout your political viewpoints then feel free to do it with your own resources, don't expect us to pay for it.

This silent form of McCarthyism is of course not something that Harber will moan about. As a public broadcaster, such a travesty is not supported by the board, and our editorial policy stands up to public scrutiny. In applying this policy, news management, and this includes Zikalala, must make on-the-spot judgments on who best could provide diversity and quality commentary. If errors of judgment are made, then we will take any appropriate corrective measures.
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If their editorial policy stands up to public scrutiny then why go to court to try and stop the M&G from publishing facts?

Finally, the bigger picture is that this is about controlling the levers of power, and media is a major instrument. They want somebody with their view of life to be at the helm of news and most key positions in our country. We will recall that when Selby Baqwa was appointed public protector, issues were raised about his ANC background as it was suspected he would tolerate ANC misdemeanours.
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Maybe they just wanted someone objective?

There is this general assumption that ANC people are unable to maintain a professional balance between their public and private lives. What nonsense. Oh, and for the record, I am not a member of the ANC. I am an old-fashioned journalist who believes in fairness, balance and honest journalism where agendas are declared.
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I wonder why people have that assumption? Oh maybe because its officially laid out as the "Cadre Policy"?
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