Online could rescue SA media

Online media could thwart the ruling party's plan to launch a media tribunal that would oversee the content of local publications.

The African National Congress (ANC) recently released a discussion document on the media in SA, which included the recommendation that a media tribunal be established by government to regulate the industry and deal with complaints from the public.

However, the ANC's desire to implement a media tribunal was met with outrage from the official opposition and local media associations. It has been compared to the censorship and press restrictions imposed by the National Party during the apartheid years.

In its discussion document on the issue, the ruling party argues that while press freedom is an important right, protected by SA's Constitution, it must be balanced with the media's responsibility to report accurately and fairly.

The ANC says the current self-regulation among the press, and the existence of a press ombudsman to whom complaints can be directed, are not strong enough mechanisms to ensure the media reports responsibly. It argues that these issues would be addressed through the establishment of a Media Appeals Tribunal.

Industry commentators say regulating what is published on the Internet through news portals, blogs or Twitter would be extremely difficult to police, especially if the content is published outside of SA's borders.

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