For the Sunday Times, transparency should be the new credibility
It was only after Business Day published, that the Sunday Times proffered an editorial comment – feebly asking the public to feel free to complain about any perceived problems.
Freedom of the African internet
Ahead of May 3 World Press Freedom Day, a new study of 37 countries gives the state of play for internet freedom in six African states. Here’s the pecking order: South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Zimbabwe … and Ethiopia. (Yes, there’s a place even more restrictive than Zimbabwe.) Although South Africa’s internet freedom leads, our…
When tweets get up an editor’s nose, he shouldn’t become a twitter-troll
I don’t think any editor would want to be known as a species of Twitter-troll.
Still much to be done to persuade the ANC on press self-regulation
The ANC has different views on the press, many of which do not tally
See SA media in a bigger and changing picture
Lifting your gaze from the gritty business of fighting for information and press rights, it’s pretty interesting to consider South Africa in wider international context. How does the country’s media system stack up in comparison to the US, Italy, Russia and China? What’s common, what’s changing, what’s relevant? Here are the highlights of a conference…
Why press self-regulation trumps ‘independent regulation’
“Independent” regulation is being sold as a compromise – it’s painted as being a “third way” and a palatable position that avoids pitfalls of either industry or political regulation. But it’s flawed.
Media campaign gathers reinforcements
A case of the proverbial hornets’ nest having been thoughtlessly kicked
Drop the media tribunal if you want debate about the press
If the ANC really wishes to debate media accountability, or media ownership, or media diversity, or media transformation, no problem. Just take the statutory regulation threat off the table, and the discussion can flow.
Taking the ANC media tribunal at face value
Most media responses to the ANC’s recently released discussion document have come out fighting. The particular target is the proposed media appeals tribunal, a body that would give ruling party the final say over what the press can publish. A few media responses, however, have been mea culpa. But where problems have been acknowledged and…
Cats, karakuls and communications scenarios
It was topsy-turvy at two conferences in Johannesburg last week. What you’d expect was not what happened: Delegates at the event convened by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) concentrated on … broadcasting. Those attending the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association included internet and mobile in their sessions. It wasn’t quite the “Negroponte switch” where what’s on the…