Don’t handle news like adverts – EFF

THE ANC should not be given air time if it has nothing new to say, the EFF told an inquiry looking into allegations of editorial interference at the SABC, South Africa’s public broadcaster, in Johannesburg yesterday.

EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi told inquiry chairperson Joe Thloloe that news should not be handled like advertising.

“For example, the president (Cyril Ramaphosa) might do his morning walks, and you tell me every day about the walks? That is not news… I cannot wake up to that every day and that this time he is walking in Khayelitsha… that is no longer news,” said Ndlozi.

Last week, the ANC’s Zizi Kodwa told the inquiry that the governing party should be allocated a 60% coverage compared to other parties.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the inquiry, Kodwa said ahead of next year’s general elections the governing party was expecting the SABC to give it airtime that was reflective of the 62% it secured in the previous elections.

Equity

“The ANC enjoys 62%. How that gets carried out, that is something that in terms of editorial news also – in some instance one way or another – it must show. For example we are going to elections and we are not 6%, so the issue of equity does not mean we must get equal opportunity. That is why in Parliament parties are not given equal time, but they are all given time to speak. It is recognition that it is an expression of the people’s will,” Kodwa said.

But Ndlozi said the proposal was biased.

“It is such attitude that points to arrogance and entitlement, coming from a person who is not even a Member of Parliament. It boils down to marketing of a political party, not news. Something is not newsworthy only because it has 60% or 1% representation in Parliament,” Ndlozi said.

“If news should be fair, balanced and critical, it cannot use proportional representation. News must remain in the orbit of journalism… a journalist goes out to seek the truth, not a 60% news coverage for the ANC.

“When former head of news Jimmy Matthews left the SABC, he publicly stated that a decision was taken to block EFF coverage.” Matthews admitted to censoring the EFF while he was at the public broadcaster, and that he took the decision, but not alone. Instructions came from the former disgraced chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng, who along with certain individuals in the ANC, were of the view that Malema should not be given coverage, Matthews said in an interview.

Thloloe asked Ndlozi if there was any evidence that showed the ANC “called the shots at the SABC”.

Ndlozi responded that he doubted there was anything on paper or a recording to prove such interference by the governing party and some SABC editors. – African News Agency (ANA) Additional reporting by Siviwe Feketha