Media industry requires public funding to protect its freedom - Article about possible media restrictions
STELLENBOSCH - South African journalists need to start appreciating and protecting the free flow of information in the country. Our media is not diverse and independent enough.
On International Press Freedom Day, 2 May, Stellenbosch University Journalism department hosted a small conference to commemorate the day and 20 years of democracy.
Johanna van Eeden from Volksblad spoke about the freedom and responsibility of journalists in the new South Africa. “Press freedom is the right which protects all other rights.” She said that the role of journalists should be “the voice for the voiceless”.
“We have more freedom now than during Apartheid, but if we do not nurture it we will lose it.”
Mark Weinberg from The Right2Know Campaign acknowledges the cost at which freedom comes.
According to Weinberg, “challenges are arising and the Secrecy Bill is the most high profile example of this”.
He says the problem in South Africa is the high level of concentration in media ownership. “South African media needs a transformation because if media is a public good then it must be “publicly funded”.
“Media interests too often conflict with the owners. Newsrooms have been stripped down due to shrinking budgets and thus there is less time for research.” He suggests funding for all mediums of the media industry.
“Media alone doesn’t have what it needs to protect itself. We should not only be protecting our democracy but also defending it.”
Weinberg states, “in the papers it seems you must be stupid to still believe in the Zuma administration. Yet figures show that majority still supports him, so why are papers not displaying this? Do we truly have a transparent media?”
Tim du Plessis from Media24 criticised the restrictive actions of the government, “our current ruling elite have little appetite for free flowing ideas. Media freedom and freedom of speech cannot be taken for granted.”
He believes “citizens will not allow restriction of media as people have had a taste of free flow of information.” Weinberg has the same view, “South Africans are not complacent”.
According to du Plessis the digitalisation of media will make oppression of information difficult. The downside to digitalisation is “news has become superficial and does not encourage investigative journalism anymore,” says van Eeden.
Weinberg says the only solution and weapon for the media is “diversification and increased public funding to increase budgets. The downsizing of the newsroom makes quality and equality of news questionable.”
On International Press Freedom Day, 2 May, Stellenbosch University Journalism department hosted a small conference to commemorate the day and 20 years of democracy.
Johanna van Eeden from Volksblad spoke about the freedom and responsibility of journalists in the new South Africa. “Press freedom is the right which protects all other rights.” She said that the role of journalists should be “the voice for the voiceless”.
“We have more freedom now than during Apartheid, but if we do not nurture it we will lose it.”
Mark Weinberg from The Right2Know Campaign acknowledges the cost at which freedom comes.
According to Weinberg, “challenges are arising and the Secrecy Bill is the most high profile example of this”.
He says the problem in South Africa is the high level of concentration in media ownership. “South African media needs a transformation because if media is a public good then it must be “publicly funded”.
“Media interests too often conflict with the owners. Newsrooms have been stripped down due to shrinking budgets and thus there is less time for research.” He suggests funding for all mediums of the media industry.
“Media alone doesn’t have what it needs to protect itself. We should not only be protecting our democracy but also defending it.”
Weinberg states, “in the papers it seems you must be stupid to still believe in the Zuma administration. Yet figures show that majority still supports him, so why are papers not displaying this? Do we truly have a transparent media?”
Tim du Plessis from Media24 criticised the restrictive actions of the government, “our current ruling elite have little appetite for free flowing ideas. Media freedom and freedom of speech cannot be taken for granted.”
He believes “citizens will not allow restriction of media as people have had a taste of free flow of information.” Weinberg has the same view, “South Africans are not complacent”.
According to du Plessis the digitalisation of media will make oppression of information difficult. The downside to digitalisation is “news has become superficial and does not encourage investigative journalism anymore,” says van Eeden.
Weinberg says the only solution and weapon for the media is “diversification and increased public funding to increase budgets. The downsizing of the newsroom makes quality and equality of news questionable.”
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