Come May Day, the spokesperson for the Minister of Labour will become South Africa’s most powerful news manager. It’s a second stint at SABC for Snuki Zikalala, and this time he has the top news job as Managing Director of News in the country’s biggest medium.
Zikalala has often had a bad press. Whether that’s been fair or not, it’s clear that this is a man who rolls with the punches. In a Q&A below, he talks about his background and the new job, as well as lessons of the BBC’s run-in with Lord Hutton, plus the business of competitive broadcasting. You can also read his views on the future of bi-media and his understanding of ”objectivity”.
Some critics sneer at the fact that you have a PhD from Bulgaria, presuming that by definition it must be a sub-standard qualification.
A lot of people in the capitalist world today recognise that education in the so-called socialist countries was actually of a high quality – producing some the world’s best scientists, for example. The education system there went into the fundamentals of knowledge. Their graduates are among the best educated.
You pursued your studies in the era of Bulgarian state socialism. How did this shape your thinking?
I couldn’t study at Wits under apartheid, but in exile the ANC gave me space to study in Bulgaria. It was difficult as Bulgarian is not a language spoken elsewhere. But learning the country’s language meant I could also follow the media there. I came to realise that it was controlled by the ruling party, just like in apartheid South Africa. Being a rebellious person, I hated that. Despite my socialist ideals, I could see there was no freedom of expression in the media, and I hated the authoritarian controls. So, I won’t allow any ANC government to control the SABC — although the ANC believes in the Constitution and does not want that control.
You once told a group of SABC journalists about disenchantment with authoritarian politics in Bulgaria …
The state president once came to our area, so the buildings had to be tidied up and, although it was winter time, all the trees had to be painted green — simply so that he should not see any misery. I detested that.
What is your philosophy about managing your staff? Some critics say you were dictatorial at SABC previously, but supporters say you were a good listener.
If you find journalists sitting, playing Solitaire and not breaking stories, you demand that they get to work — and then they say you are dictatorial. There is no news editor who doesn’t say that stories are wanted and by when. If you go to Business Day, or The Star, that’s what you find. There is not a democracy in the newsroom. At SABC, you deal with a large number of journalists and stations, and you have to make sure journalists work to service them.
You occupy a newly-created position — that of Managing Director of News. To what degree is it an editorial job, or one that manages the budgetary and logistical side?
It is a strategic, not an editorial, job. I will work with Pippa Green, head of radio, and Jimmi Matthews, head of television, who are in charge of editorial. My job is to make sure they deliver, so I won’t work with the journalists directly — that’s their job. I must deliver revenue, and my staff must deliver audiences through quality news. I won’t interfere with them editorially.
Under SABC’s new editorial structure, you do not have final editorial say: that now belongs to the CEO. But he also upholds the business side of SABC — such as keeping advertisers happy. Could his split responsibilities lead to tensions, given that you are based in the editorial side of the corporation?
The CEO is concerned more with business; I am concerned more with editorial. But I have to balance the two. The CEO wants news to break even, and to be a cost-centre on its own. He told me that my expertise was with news, and I should run with this. Our news must appeal to audiences. We have to balance putting on development stories with the need to get these audiences.
Advertising has been more available for news reaching English-speakers, but there have been few resources for the African languages. Ten years since SABC became a public broadcaster, and several heads of news, there has been little change.
News and current affairs can generate a lot of income. Lesedi, Ukhozi and Motsweding are SABC’s biggest radio stations. They should be able to get a lot more advertising. We have to live with what advertisers put on our plate. The commercial public broadcast aspect is separate from the non-commercial public broadcaster, so there is no problem with going to advertisers. If we go to a company and they say they won’t advertise if we broadcast their violations of labour laws or the constitution, then we will broadcast regardless. But we should still go out and tell the advertisers about the returns on investment in regard to advertising to our audiences.
Would you review SABC3 news at 7pm which competes with e-TV, and instead see yourselves as a public broadcaster that compliments their service at a different time of day?
We have better resources than them. We will match e-TV, pound for pound.
Last year SABC produced editorial policies which have now been approved by the new Board. But many rank and file journalists, as well as members of the public, do not seem to know much about these. So, will they be a dead-letter?
The policies must be known by each and every journalist. These are their guidelines — their bible — and what gives them independence. Because there is juniorisation in the newsroom, we as editors have to groom young journalists and ensure that they understand.
The policies commit SABC to impartiality. But will the news division go as far as playing the active watchdog role of chasing sensitive news? After the Hutton inquiry, the acting director general of the BBC said that British public broadcaster ought not to be in the business of breaking controversial news.
I don’t believe in the watchdog role — a watchdog for whom? Instead, SABC should protect and defend the constitution. The integrity of the constitution should not be undermined by government, the private sector or the community. Journalists should ensure that it is not undermined by any individual.
Any comments on the BBC controversy, where an over-stated story about government ”sexing up” war-motive evidence led to top resignations and to grovelling apologies to Downing Street?
I would not like the chair of my board to have to resign! It is a question of my accountability and objectivity being 100%. I have to ensure that stories are accurate, objective, impartial and cover all sides of the angle. I am accountable if stupid mistakes go on air. Although I will give the journalists full independence, there must be checks and balances.
SABC news under you previously was at the vanguard of bi-media in Africa — i.e. skilling journalists to report for both radio and television. The corporation has now reverted to specialised staffing.
There is scope for multi-skilling of workers. The previous board said do away with bi-media, and it separated radio and television. I do not know the current board’s position, but I respect the previous board’s decision. However, if a reporter is prepared to do both media, without compromising quality, I would not stop him or her. Those who wish to specialise in either radio or TV should be left alone. But we should not forget that all journalists at CNN do their main story for TV, and then a script for radio, and finally a version for the internet. Jobs are scarce — if journalists are retrenched, they should be able to go into another job even if it needs different skills.
Speaking of multi-skilling for radio and TV, what is the future of SABCNews.com and of the news-on-phones service, Newsbreak?
They will play an increasing role in growing audiences. This is where you can break news. That is very important in a context of competition.
SABC is the foremost public broadcaster on a continent where most broadcasters are still under governmental control. One hears stories about foreign heads of state complaining about critical coverage broadcast on SABC.
The Department of Foreign Affairs knows we are independent. If there is plunder in an African country, we report it whether heads of state complain or not. We believe in good governance and are guided in our reporting by our Charter and policies. We’ve never had pressure from the Foreign Minister. We must report objectively on the continent.
What do you mean by ”objective”?
It means reporting what is happening — as it is, and without exaggerating or taking sides. Some SABC reporters are IFP members, others ANC and some DA — but they must all report the truth as it is.
E-mail Guy Berger directly if you have a question about this article.
Guy Berger is head of Journalism and Media Studies at Rhodes University and deputy chair of the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef). He was recently nominated for the World Technology Awards.