SABC centralises editorial control
2012-12-12 07:27
Johannesburg - The SABC has allocated the editorial control
of all talk shows dealing with politics and governance to news and current
affairs.
"This decision will help the SABC to deliver on the
requirements of the editorial policy," spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said on
Tuesday.
According to the broadcaster's editorial policy, which is
guided by the Broadcasting Act: "When an event of national importance is
of a party political nature, editorial staff are to ensure that the SABC
policies on objectivity, accuracy, fairness, impartiality and balance are
adhered to."
Centralised
SABC acting chief operations officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng said
this decision would allow a "centralised way" of dealing with issues
of a political nature in a "coherent and systematic way" and in line
with the editorial policy.
Kganyago said this would go a long way in assisting the
organisation to be accountable to the public.
On Monday, the Times reported that an anonymous letter
purportedly written by SABC reporters, producers and presenters, indicated
concerns of political interference at the corporation.
In the letter there were complaints that journalists were
"taken to task" for not giving adequate coverage to President Jacob
Zuma.
The letter was unsigned, apparently because the authors
feared they would be victimised, and was addressed to the SABC board and acting
news head Jimi Matthews.
Paranoia
"The climate of uncertainty and fear has created a
state of paranoia in both the television and radio news rooms and has lowered
morale," the letter read.
It also contained allegations that some programmes were
cancelled after the content was announced on air, and when talk show guests had
already arrived.
Political journalists were allegedly removed from their
posts and analysts from their regular shows without explanation.
There were also complaints that stories about expelled ANC
Youth League president Julius Malema were "treated differently".
- SAPA
