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Media Inst: SABC is arrogant
05/09/2007 20:02 - (SA)
Johannesburg - The Media Institute of Southern Africa says the SABC has demonstrated nothing but arrogance in pulling out of the SA National Editors' Forum over reports about Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.
The SABC's "drastic position" was a clear departure from the mainstream media and seemed to suggest it was "distancing itself from being a media house", Misa-South Africa spokesperson Dumisani Nyalunga said on Wednesday.
"Misa-SA would have expected the SABC to act as a champion and loyalist of press freedom and media freedom in general," he said.
While Misa-SA expressed "disbelief" at the "strongly-worded" letter in which the SABC announced on Friday that it was breaking ties with Sanef, it said the move might be "a blessing in disguise".
SABC position is nothing but a double standard
The national broadcaster reportedly said that it would no longer stand idle "whilst we are being made a whipping boy and a scapegoat by the profit-driven media."
Misa-SA said content gave the impression that the SABC was playing the role of Tshabalala-Msimang's spokesperson.
It pointed out that while the SABC claimed to be a "friend of the people" it was itself guilty of the "deterioration of journalistic ethics" it was railing against - a case in point being the blacklisting saga.
"(The) SABC position is nothing but a double standard and demonstrate(s) clear selective condemnation," said Nyalunga.
Misa-SA did not understand why the SABC had taken offence on this occasion when it had not publicly done so over similar, previous cases involving high-profile politicians.
In Misa-SA's view, Sanef was supporting the Sunday Times, not to connive with the newspaper, but to "uphold and safeguard the values and principles of freedom of expression and media freedom".
Sanef has since asked for a meeting with the SABC, but it is not known when this will take place.
- SAPA
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