BCCSA rejects City Press complaints

2011-06-27 17:36

Johannesburg - Two radio stations did enough to rectify incorrect reports on the press ombudsman's ruling regarding complaints about the City Press newspaper's reports on corruption and tenders in Limpopo, the BCCSA said on Monday.

City Press's complaints were not upheld because SAfm and SABC Sepedi radio station had corrected the news reports later the same day, the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA said in its judgment.

In September last year Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale lodged a complaint with the press ombudsman against the City Press and its reports about corruption in the province and tenders rewarded to ANC Youth League president Julius Malema.

On January 24, SAfm invited Mathale's spokesperson Phuti Mosomane onto its morning show to speak about the ombudsman's ruling. However, City Press was not invited to participate in the discussion.

During the five-minute interview Mosomane made "disparaging" remarks about City Press creating the impression that City Press had been found guilty of "lies, malice and inaccurate" reporting.

On January 30, Sepedi radio station's current affairs show interviewed the ANC Youth League's provincial secretary Jacob Lebogo. During the 30-minute interview Lebogo was "allowed to level a range of accusations" against City Press and its Limpopo correspondent Piet Rampedi.

The news reports were changed later the same day after City Press and Rampedi complained to the head of SABC radio current affairs programmes.

- SAPA