It was ”unacceptable” for government bodies to threaten the withdrawal of advertising from newspapers, the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) said on Monday.
While the withdrawal of advertising from a newspaper on commercial grounds was a normal risk carried by newspapers, it was ”unacceptable” for public bodies to use this as a punitive measure to promote self-censorship, the forum said in a statement.
This followed its meeting at the Highway Africa conference in Grahamstown.
”Sanef notes with increasing alarm that certain provincial and local municipalities have also on occasion adopted, or have threatened to adopt, this form of sanction of newspapers for publishing material they find embarrassing to themselves,” the forum said in a statement.
This follows the view expressed by Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad that the government should consider withdrawing its advertising from the Sunday Times. This followed the newspaper’s publication of reports relating to Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang’s alleged behaviour in hospital, her alleged drinking, and theft conviction.
Following a debate on privacy and the public interest, Sanef’s council agreed to a proposed seminar between editors and the government on the matter.
The council also supported a decision to meet with the South African Broadcasting Corporation to discuss a decision by the broadcaster’s CEO, Dali Mpofu, to cut ties with Sanef.
Sanef also expressed concern about an African National Congress proposal to set up a task team to investigate media conduct and to consider the establishment of a media tribunal, the role of which was still unclear.
”The proposal says only that a tribunal might be needed ‘to address the prevailing self-regulatory dispensation within the media [and] whatever remedial measures may be required to safeguard and promote the rights of all South Africans’,” said Sanef.
Sanef was ”seriously concerned” that the proposed task team could result in restrictions on the media. — Sapa