President Thabo Mbeki on Monday called on the media to provide what he described as accurate and properly contextualised information.
”We in Africa can and do benefit from criticism, but we do ask that it should be based on accurate information and should be properly contextualised,” he told the 60th World Association of Newspapers (Wan) congress and 14th World Editors’ Forum (WEF) in Cape Town.
”For too long we have seen a negative type-casting of the continent.”
Ensuring peace and security in Africa is no longer the assumed province of formerly metropolitan powers, but matters for engagement by Africans themselves.
”Peer review is becoming firmly established on the continent,” Mbeki said.
However, the continent had not escaped the effects of the tussle between media freedom and governance.
”There are some countries on our continent where journalists are in prison and this is worrying for all of us.
”There is particular anger around what is seen as impunity enjoyed by some governments in their perceived or actual actions against journalists and editors.
”I am also aware of the feeling among African editors that libel and similar laws are used to deal with a media that is seen as uncomplimentary to the authorities,” he said.
The problem of media freedom around the continent was an important one as the media’s role in informing and thereby empowering the people of Africa could not be disputed.
”We note with appreciation the efforts under way between the African Union and the African Editors’ Forum to declare a year of African media freedom so as to mobilise public opinion around the important role media plays in development.”
Mbeki said it was incumbent on the media to be introspective and to conduct itself in ways that would enhance — and not undermine — acceptable standards of public morality and good behaviour in a progressive and enlightened state.
”Though making up a proud fourth estate, which is rightly opposed to any government interference, surely the media also carries the basic responsibilities of citizenship.”
He suggested it was important for the media to do various things to professionalise and perfect their craft, such as improving training methods, broadening the scope of specialist and in-depth writing and research, and retaining skilled and experienced practitioners within the profession.
”Even if there is the necessary chasm between the media and government in the perennial debate about what constitutes the public or national interest and so on, at least the debate must proceed in openness and honesty.
”We do believe that both government and the media are called on to act responsibly in a well-run state.”
This also applied to public relations, marketing and advertising interests that can have such a powerful influence in society, he said. — Sapa