"The issue of media accountability mechanisms has been brought into the spotlight in South Africa following the release by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) of a discussion paper entitled ‘Media Transformation, Ownership and Diversity’ for deliberation at its National General Council meeting in September 2010, and the subsequent resolutions from the meeting. The paper and subsequent 2010 resolutions, among other things, reinforce a 2007 ANC Conference resolution to investigate the establishment of a statutory Media Appeals Tribunal (MAT) as the ruling party has suggested that the current self-regulatory system established by the print media does not sufficiently ensure that standards and ethics are upheld by newspapers. The print media have defended the self -regulatory mechanisms they have put in place, and argued that statutory regulation would inhibit freedom of expression and breach South Africa’s Constitution.
This paper does not evaluate the different arguments, nor does it make any recommendations on a way forward, beyond proposing that any accountability mechanisms/policies put in place must be responsive to evident public need and premised on reinforcing the media’s responsibility to hold those with economic, political and/or social power to account and to tell the news truthfully, accurately and fairly. The research instead focuses on highlighting approaches taken in other countries and ways the media and/or governments promote adherence by the media to principles and standards while reinforcing freedom of expression. It also briefly looks at additional proposals on transformation of the media suggested by the ANC in its paper. It focuses particularly on print media as this is the primary focus of the ruling party recommendations." (Introduction)