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“The Freedom Front Plus welcomes the recommendations of the Press Freedom Commission (PFC) in their report on the future regulation of the print media. The proposal that oversight over the media is shared by the public and the media in contrast to the current self-regulation of the media is one of the proposals that the FF Plus had made during the public hearings of the PFC earlier this year. This proposal replaces the necessity for government to intervene directly through a media tribunal but the one-sided self-regulation of the media is no longer tolerated either,” Adv. Anton Alberts the FF Plus’ parliamentary spokesperson on Communication, said in reaction to the PFC’s report.

A more balanced approach to the regulation of the print media is created by the PFC’s recommendations because the right of the media to self-regulate is balanced by the right of the public to have a say in the oversight of the media. Larger public participation in the process to address issues when the media acts wrongly or unethically will ensure that individuals’ rights are protected better.

The FF Plus finds it very encouraging that a number of the proposals which the party had made during the hearings have been included in the report. This includes amongst others:

• No pornography or pornographic material of children will be used in the printed media;
• The imposition of monetary fines for consistent and serious contraventions of the rulings of the ombudsman;
• More protection will be given to individuals’ rights to privacy;
• The inclusion of the audi alterem partem rule will ensure that all parties who have an interest in an issue will be given the opportunity to offer their comments;
• The creation of a Media Board which will function on a similar basis as the Broadcasting Complaints Commission.

The independent shared oversight of the printed media is a huge step in the right direction which, should the printed media accept the proposals, will ensure that more balanced and objective reporting will take place.