Description

ANC-regime has media-monitoring company 'examining' individual journalists and publications 'reporting trends towards ruling party".
Beeld journalist Maryna Lamprecht reports a comment by Dr Johan Retief, deputy-ombudsman, that the ANC's 'examination of the reports issued by specific journalists about the party is worrying, upsetting and ominous'.
The ANC has hired a 'media-monitoring company to research specific journalists and specific publications about their 'attitude towards the ruling party of South Africa.
The subjects being examined are 'positive', 'negative' and 'neutral reporting' about the ANC by individual journalists and publications being examined by the company.
"What will follow? Will the ANC draw up blacklists to advantage some journalists and publications and disadvantage others?" asked Mondli Makhanya, chair of the SA National Editors' Forum.
"If the ANC rules that a journalist 's overall reporting is mainly negative towards the party, does that mean that the journalist's physical safety might be at risk?
This could have serious long-term implications,' warned Makkhanya.
Retief said what was 'strange was the focus on individual journalists: this begs the question: what does the ANC want to do with that specific information?"
Retief warned that the effect of this research was intimidating and threatening for the journalists being investigated.
ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said it was not sinister to investigate individual journalists' reporting trends towards the ANC.
'The news media is the ANC's largest opposition. There is no question of blacklisting or intimidating journalists,' he claimed.
Their plans for a media-tribunal are still pending.
http://www.beeld.com/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Die-ANC-fynkam-koerante-20111206