[FoME] African Media Barometer 2013 South Africa

[Nora Thoma]

Dear all,

 

The African Media Barometer (AMB) South Africa 2013 was launched on the 11th
October 2013. 

 

The direct link to the AMB South Africa 2013:

http://www.fesmedia-africa.org/uploads/media/AMB_SA_web_version_2013.pdf 

 

The African Media Barometer (AMB) identifies and analyses the shortcomings
and best practices in the legal as well as practical media environment of
different African countries. Using a variety of African documents as a
benchmark, the AMB can serve as a tool to lobby for media reform.

 

The AMB South Africa 2013 revealed:

South Africa, despite ratifying most regional and international agreements
on freedom of expression, freedom of the press and access to information,
and protecting these rights in a constitution lauded as one of the world'
most progressive, has an increasingly volatile media environment.

 

A painting entitled 'The Spear', depicting South Africa's incumbent
president with exposed genitals, caused a national uproar on the limitations
to the right of freedom of expression. Government invoked the apartheid-era
National Key Points Act to prevent investigation of the controversial
multimillion rand upgrade of  President Zuma's Nkandla homestead. The
Protection of State Information Bill was passed by Parliament in April 2013.
This so-called 'Secrecy Bill' faces severe criticism from civil society
organisations, and with no provision of a 'public interest defense' for
journalists, the threat of prosecution could have a chilling effect on the
media. 

 

The public broadcaster, SABC, is riddled with political interference and
other problems, and in March 2013 another SABC board resigned en masse, the
second collapse within five years.

 

High journalistic standards remain in South Africa, and the recent threat of
the ruling party to introduce a statutory media appeals tribunal has served
to revitalise the debate on the ethics of reporting and self-regulation (as
seen in the revised Press Code).

 

The passing by the ANC-dominated parliament of the Protection of State
Information Bill indicates a worrying trend in government-media relations.
With lobbying efforts left to very few urban groups, there is need to
upscale advocacy campaigns on freedom of expression, freedom of the press
and access to information in South Africa, in order to enhance public
awareness and buy-in at the grassroots level.

 

Enjoy the read!!!!

 

If you would like to explore AMBs of other countries please see our website:


http://www.fesmedia-africa.org/home/what-we-do/africa-media-barometer-amb/am
b-country-reports/ 

 

 

Please do not hesitate to contact me or my colleague Helvi Elago
(helvi at fesmedia.org)  should you have any questions.

 

Kind regards,

Nora

 

 

-------------------------------------------

Nora Thoma 

Programme Officer

Friedrich Ebert Stiftung

fesmedia Africa

 

P.O. Box 23652

Windhoek

Namibia

 

Switchboard Tel: +264-61-417500 

Direct Tel.: +264-61-417527 

Fax.:+264-61-237 441

 <http://www.fesmedia-africa.org/> www.fesmedia-africa.org      

 <https://www.facebook.com/fesmedia.Africa>
https://www.facebook.com/fesmedia.Africa 

 

 

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