Issued by: Office of the Presidency
30 October 2000
The National Programme of Action (NPA) for Children, located in the Presidency will launch the South African Children's Media Council on Tuesday the 31st of October. The Council's main aim is to ensure that the media are able to influence children in a positive way and thus protect them and nurture them in their perception-forming years so that they grow up to become responsible members of our democratic, non-racial, non-sexist society.
The Children's Media Council, developed according to world standards, will spearhead meaningful dialogue between children, programme makers, broadcasters, parents, service providers, advertisers who target children, and other stakeholders. Children create many of their views from the images they see on television, from what they hear on radio, and from what they watch on the news.
With this kind of attention on our children comes a tremendous responsibility to look at the long term perception changes that media, in all its forms, is creating, and the long term messages that children receive within the culture of child rights.
One of the many functions of the Children's Media Council will be to listen to the unheard voices of children and take cognisance of what they say. The Council will facilitate the means by which children themselves can shape their future as co-creators in the development of media.
The Children's Media Council is governed by the NPA - headed by Director of the Office on Child Rights in the Presidency, Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva under the leadership of Minister Essop Pahad.
Former SABC1 Head of programmes and child specialist Brenda Kali is the Chief Executive Officer of the Council.
Launch details:
Date: Tuesday 31st October
Time: 12:30 PM
Venue: Presidential Guest House,
Pretoria
Contact: Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva - 0827726399 or Nazeem Mahatey -0823763820, Communications Unit, The Presidency
Issued by:
The Presidency
Communications Unit
P/Bag X1000
Pretoria 0001