TML’s charter has been criticised — again. This time by the union which objects to the presentation and timing of the draft. Jacquie Golding-Duffy reports
The South African Union of Journalists (SAUJ) is recommending that its members disregard Times Media Limited’s (TML) charter and start the entire process from scratch.
SAUJ vice-president for Gauteng and TML’s branch co- ordinator Jimmy Beaumont says a meeting was held earlier this week with the union’s president and other executives where it was decided that members would be encouraged to throw out the current charter and renegotiate a new draft with current owners, Anglo American.
Beaumont says two years ago the union, keen to have an editorial charter, approached TML management but the idea was rejected.
“Our objections to the charter are its presentation and timing. The timing is suspicious, and since the current charter is already tainted, it was decided that it would be in the best interests of all parties to start a charter from scratch — one that won’t be aimed at any new buyer,” Beaumont says.
Financial Mail editor Nigel Bruce says the charter has “certainly not been abandoned” by either shareholders or editorial staff and has “nothing to do with the union”.
“I think the union will grasp every opportunity to be representative,” Bruce says, adding that he understands the union to have “procedural objections. It will presumably be renegotiated based on what is already there.”
It is understood the Financial Mail staff fully supports the charter, but, according to Beaumont, with the SAUJ having majority representation within TML, talks concerning the editorial charter will have to be conducted between the union and TML management irrespective of the Financial Mail’s editorial support.
Bruce says he briefed his staff about the charter prior to its publication in Business Day and was unaware if other editors had done the same.
Business Day editor Jim Jones spoke on two occasions to staffers, once last week and again earlier this week. Sunday Times editor Brian Pottinger also addressed staffers this week.
Pottinger says he believes the charter should be fully supported by all parties in the draft stages before it is finalised and now, he believes, it has been fully thrown open for debate. “If the charter does not have the support of staff then it is pointless,” he says, adding that he thinks it is a well-balanced document which is not in the least extreme.
The TML editorial charter was drafted at a time when there were ongoing talks between the National Empowerment Consortium headed by Cyril Ramaphosa and Anglo American for a stake in Anglo’s publishing interests. Also, there have been unofficial talks between TML representatives and Pearsons, the parent company of London’s Financial Times, for a shareholding in Anglo’s financial publications — Business Day and Financial Mail.
The charter aims to ensure editorial independence and integrity.
However, it makes the firing and hiring of editors difficult through its stipulation that the appointment and dismissal of editors be subject not only to the agreement of the majority of directors, but also has to be supported by a resolution from the board of trustees.
Furthermore, a six-month period has to be allowed for, in case the majority of trustees do not agree with the dismissal or appointment, after which the board of directors can dismiss without the approval of trustees.
Jones says the charter creates the opportunity for staffers to make a valued input into the draft version via proposed amendments. He says staffers could, however, at their prerogative, choose to reject the document.
Johnnic and TML chairman Vaughn Bray says the charter is “praiseworthy” and he understands the state of play to be that staffers have to now give their input.