TRC Final Report

Volume 5

Chapter 8

Subsection 30

Media self-regulation

97 The Commission recommends that:

THE ESTABLISHED PRESS TAKE STEPS TO WIDEN THE DIVERSITY OF OPINIONS AND INFORMATION PUBLISHED IN ITS NEWSPAPERS BY ESTABLISHING LOCAL EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDS FOR ITS NEWSPAPERS AND BY NEGOTIATING EDITORIAL CHARTERS WITH ITS JOURNALISTS.

THE PRINT MEDIA AND BROADCASTERS INTRODUCE A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE CONTRACTS OF JOURNALISTS AND OTHER MEDIA WORKERS MAKING IT A DISMISSIBLE OFFENCE TO TAKE PAYMENT FROM ANY STATE INTELLIGENCE OR SECURITY AGENCY IN EXCHANGE FOR INFORMATION.

JOURNALISTS’ ORGANISATIONS AND EDITORS DEBATE THE DEGREE TO WHICH IT IS PERMISSIBLE FOR JOURNALISTS, IN THE COURSE OF NEWS GATHERING, TO HAVE CONTACTS AND SHARE INFORMATION WITH OPERATIVES OF STATE INTELLIGENCE OR SECURITY AGENCIES. (IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT, AT THE VERY LEAST, SUCH CONTACTS FOR NEWSGATHERING PURPOSES OUGHT TO BE DECLARED IN WRITING TO EDITORS.)

MEDIA EMPLOYERS REQUIRE JOURNALISTS TO DECLARE PAST RECEIPT OF PAYMENTS FROM STATE INTELLIGENCE OR SECURITY AGENCIES, AND REMOVE SUCH JOURNALISTS FROM COVERING THE ACTIVITIES OF THESE OR SIMILAR AGENCIES IN THE FUTURE.

Labour and employment issues

98 The Commission recommends that:

MEDIA EMPLOYERS INTENSIFY PROGRAMMES OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN AND BLACK MEDIA WORKERS WITHIN THE MEDIA, WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF ENSURING THAT MORE, BETTER-SKILLED AND QUALIFIED BLACK PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED IN ALL NEWSROOMS AND THAT THERE IS A PROPER GENDER BALANCE AT ALL LEVELS, MANAGERIAL AND PROFESSIONAL.

THE DIFFERENT MEDIA UNIONS STRIVE FOR A UNIFIED STRATEGY AND APPROACH TOWARDS THE MEDIA INDUSTRY.

99 Responsibility for developing and implementing these recommendations, and for monitoring their implementation, rests primarily with:

a The Department of Posts and Telecommunications;

b The South African Broadcasting Corporation;

c The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA);

d Publishing houses: Independent Newspapers, NasPers, TML;

e The Newspaper Press Union;

f Trade unions: The South African Union of Journalists, The Union of Black Journalists;

g NGOs.