It's Media Freedom Week in South Africa. And tomorrow South Africa's ANC led government wants to force through the highy-controversial, unconstitutional, Protection of Information Bill (the so-called Secrecy Bill) without a debate in the National Assembly.
If passed, the Protection of Information Bill will take away my freedom of the press, and therefore take away your freedom to be informed, to get the full truth, and all the facts.
Many stories that I have written as a journalist and stories which have appeared on TV with Thinus over the past years I will not be able to bring to you unless I break the law.
This anti-democratic legislation wants to force South African journalists to reveal their sources or be imprisoned. It will prevent journalists from writing about certain things, topics or places (like the SABC, which, classified as a ''point of national interest'' can suddenly be deemed off limits even if it is in the public interest.) This terrible legislation, if enacted, will be a severe step back for media freedom in South Africa.
TV with Thinus often has a lot of stories, and I'm in the business of breaking news - news about the television industry. I believe there's too many secrets already in society in general, and the TV industry is notorious for being way too secretive - although it's accountable, and should be accountable to viewers.
Because I do independent journalism, work hard at stories, am not beholden to anyone or any interest, have built up the best and biggest contact list in South Africa and internationally over many many years of hard work, people often talk and tell me things way before the official press release comes. They do so because they trust me as a journalist. They do so because they know that my aim is the public interest - the viewer. Sources trust that I will never reveal names and them as sources - a promise I've never broken ever since I became a journalist. Ever. Now the new Protection of Information Bill will demand of me as a journalist to reveal my sources when I'm asked. (I won't.)
My overriding goal is to get the story, get the facts and work as hard as I can to get it first and to get it right. By the time the press release goes out to everyone, I don't care anymore. To get the scoop and to get the story, you have to talk to people, ask things and ask millions of different things, constantly, of hundreds of people and build puzzles with litte bits of information and put all of that together. I sit up till the very late/early hours of the day, and wake up again early - all with the singular purpose of tracking everything that will put what is happening in South African television into perspective for the viewer, the TV producer, the broadcaster.
Sources are often willing to share little bits of information (who themselves often don't have the bigger picture) knowing and trusting me that they will remain anonymous. Often, they're not designated to talk on behalf of their company or institution. (And just like the government, places get very upset when their employees talk out about stuff they know but shouldn't be taking about.)
Most journalists covering the TV industry in South Africa from both a consumer as well as trade perspective are already very passive and meek. Many seem to be only there for the goodie bag rather than to get the news. Or they're junior types, disappear anyway within a year or two to be replaced by someone else, and have zero skill or interest to dig for news and putting the hard truths out there. But that's not really the point. It's that the journalism sector in South Africa already has certain internal structural challenges that's a threat to media freedom. Additional, cumbersome and restrictive legislation will add to making information reaching consumers and citizens, even more difficult.
The few journalists who do try hard, daily face an uphill struggle. As soon as you ask anything that's not blah-blah press release level bland, answers often dry up. Several publicity departments everywhere - just like the government - these days function on a de facto basis firstly as gatekeepers rather than information fascilitators. They want to keep information away, instead of helping to give information or be the port of call for information, when asked. And then there's the sceptical and scared TV executives who often still don't get why people would be interested in them, their businesses and what they do - although they're in a business who's entire premise is built on creating continuous interest.
Can you imagine how it would be if even the few journalists who actually pro-actively and tirelessly dig for stories, work their sources, and try to be thought-leaders by breaking news that's not dictated by companies' marketing and publicity plan roll-out plans, or press releases, are hamstringed by legislation as well?
Cockroaches love the darkness. If the Protection of Information Bill is enacted, it will mean less news and less comprehensive news because journalists who talk to sources, will know full well that there could come a point where that source could be exposed. And no great journalist wants that.
This bad proposed legislation will mean less information and credible, real news for you as the person or company making television who are in the business of broadcasting in South Africa. And it will mean less information and less transparency for you as the viewer who watches everything that they make.
