PRESS

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TREFWOORO

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THREATENED By 'MBEKI F _?

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, AND . , - . ADMONISHED -- - - ".-_. ___ . _ _ ,

~~By~ -CHAsKALSON '

I ^{;.:--lIeg ~chthe 'co~erdaI}

press" Is coming under dired and Indirect aitidsm (or not representing the ^vtews of the majority, Deputy President Thabo

MbiikI's SiijigeSbon

In partJamenl this week that a.na!!QnaI news agency mJght be destrable was to be expected.

. In

eJTect, he was saying, If the media do not -project • government In a favoUrable Ught .. they should be over-

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ridden by propagaJlda .-. though how this meshes with the constltulldnal right' to (needom of .oplnion and of the . press Is nebulous: . .. " '.

The prtnt media evalUate what Is to be published on

the basis

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on whether It

patrlolism.

na

^{dO so} If to water reticulation

projec1s In the

cape

",!her than, say, W!>Y'Bantu

HoIomIsa faces censure from his own party bi'Gause he

hasialned~~~~~o~r CO~rruptI~

^'AD on In the old Ttalisl<eI.

are

p W Botha. lhIs Is bt.-cause govemments net always.

set

things right, whether In the Helds of law and order

or

the

, ec:onomy - and are

rightly subject to .atttdsiri for tl)eirerrors. . "

,The,-,\Nc-Jed

giivemmerit

should be able to

Il!ke

the heat by now: That It Isn't Is a fact with which editors who do not IIaYIshIy renow the par:y Une must ' .. '

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INSTITUUT VIR EIETYOSE GESKIEOENIS Die Unive.siteit v.n die Oranje-Yrystaat . ^,

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It Is far

<no~ iusqw~t41g ' iiJ

find a ver- ,"

sion of this taqimony. ,a"gainst the media .' the implications of decisions taken." :EFWO coming irorri.So eminent a source as the '. In ati extraordinary misreading of the function of the

president .of· the ConstJttltionaJ 'Court • press, he suggested these shortcomings "may be due to

Arthur Cha~tson. In a rec;enrartlcle fa;. " wha't is regarded as newsworthy .. It is dJfflcuJt to know ••...

the Institute (or the Advarrcement of Jour- .'. what alternative criteria the press should apply in assess-

,n<illsm (reprin,t~ In The Star. May 22. " log events. Including court Judgments, .••.•

' W1lhol\l

cortunent), the judge accused the " leaving that aside. It Is not fair to generalise, within the press of ,s/;allowness 'In reporting the .', boundaries outlined above. the FM and Business

D<!Y

have

court'S judgments, , .,1 deliberately Increased their coverage of the writing of the •.• . . t:ha.skalsOn pointed out that we hav~ new COnstitution. the issues involved, and the rote of the "'.

advanced from" being ruled by parliament

j-

COnstitutional Court as supreme arbiter of the basic law, . • ~ •••

to being ruled b} a democratic Constitu- . " ChaSkalson seems to expect the press to focus too nar- tion. WhUe he accepted the COnstraJnts of ; rowly on the court's judgments. Since, this month, the

space and time under whIch JownaJists Constitutional Court Is deliberating on the constitutional- .••. • labour. he stated that, 'In his view, "the re- Ity of the new Constitution - and there have been a ,

£Orting has been

brier.

lamely descriptive. number of challenges on labour. property and provincial I ••• • . and often JnaCCl!@te. Uttle attempt Is competendes, for example - the essential requlmnent

., 1 ,

made.: to aI\a1yse the juClgments, place for the serious press is to understand and communicate :

" them lit meaningful contexts and explore ' the nature of the assorted controversies - and the phJlo-

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,- -- ,---- .- - - __ ._ sophlcal and political differences from which they spring. '

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This, surely, is being done. By entering into the matter i

,of how It Is being done - and to find fault with the pro- ...

I ~ ^- 15 to accept the argument that what might be

0. called the programmatic elements of the Constitution are ••••.

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al?ove reproach. OIaskalson does not say SO; In fact, he properiy concedes that the right of the '

media to crlticlse court Judgments. Induct-'

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Ing those of the Constitutional Court. '

"cannot be accstioned," . . , ..

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Nevertheless, a emerges from

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his artid., , :-

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form of competence. Isolated from ' ,.

and contrasted with government agencies "."

by the doctrine of the separation of

po;v- ' ....

ers and elevated above bureaucracies ,by Impartiality .nd emdency. ,,' "

They, ,should certainly be' ,"cornpler..1y

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above IlyIng to win the regard of the pul>-

1 lic for themselves, _ '

. Given that the ConstitutiOn remalns to,' be certl1Ied, and that even If it Is, It Is

a:r:- " .

. taJn to prove divisive on some . .issues; : •••

Q1aska~son's court would, now, be best

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served ay maintaining a low prol!le.. ','. , t ...

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INSTITUUT F.IETYDSE C?ESKIEDENIS Die Ur.iv •• ",h.,il·. v/ln

die

Oronj3-V,ystaat

Business Day

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Times

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"'1.1 Tbie Charter is an UFreoaiol'!o of .", .. 001 ... ". principle. ^OD' whi'!h ~.e tompany'a

· papen .hall edited and·

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.hall [lot or

"_.' u..,.

• .-;. eoaure

:-' paper. inrludinc

~ .. ,.:.. aDd the 1!l8r'lef or oewapa-

... pertitle. .

! 'l.6 For tb_e ~w pc»e-of thia charter a oe,...

· ~ peper~m~8w:ula1Times;Bu.iz:'eu

':' '. Day: Financial Mail; Eastern Province .... ::. Herald; Eftning Po.t; We-..ltead I'OIIt;'Oai.

-, : I,:rDiapatcb;and lJrJ3ot.herpubliea\ioDthat

ediaI.ttd

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charter _{--- -}

be included in the definition.

~ 1.7 Wl::.ere reference ill mAde ;'eftln to D'lan- . . aging W· ec::tor or chairman, such referenu

analJ refer to:

1.7.1 if the ne~paper ill published by the oo~·

. 'pan.:'. to the mana¥ing director 01" chair-

man (u !becaKmft:rbe)oftht1C'?l1lpany -1:7.2 if the Dewspaper la publiabed hy 8. II?D-

.idiary of the company. to the managmg _ directorurc.hainnan( . . theeaae may be-)of . . the subeidilU'J.

' 2

EOOOIU.LlNDErfHO£NICf./CcoEOf'ElMCS

. ·2:1 Each member of

-, tndteet . and the

itorial

reaponaihility photograpben on local, national

fairly and of ... y

·.;~4 ~':=:l=~'detemWie

^editorial

coatent and ahall. within ~ commer- cial paramet.en and aecepted labour ptSc- t:iae, appoint, diamisa, deploy and directed-

itorial.tan: . .

.2.5 Tbe editors aball carry out theirdutiee lD a way tbat will eD81U"e the general character,

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INSTlTUUT VIR EIETYDSE GESKIEDENIS

Die Universiteit van die Oranje-Vrystaat

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Business Day ,

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:,.. Will be directly rHpoDl!lible to the chairman 1"'· of the directo'r.l (-duUrman", on editorial

I

matten and to the tn.anag'in&' ~r or hill oomin~ on commercial maluMI.

2.t- .:;;diton ~hal1 at their discretion have the

1 right.tO eeek the advice and guidance of the tn1Ateee if d.i~menta should ariH with directon and manaprs.

2.7 In the "cnt of any dispute- o.,er c:ommer·

I' . ^cia) DUlt1en. the managing direct:tlr.'. ~e-

, ciJr;ion .han pr1!"'Va.il. In the event of any dia·

I puLe ~ ediLorial matterll. the chairman's

d~O'D'b.alI prevail.

3. ~AHoO$AlsSN.OfEDm)RS ·

3.1 Subject to 3.3 flD editor ahall 'not be BP- pcint.ed "frithoul: '. . . 3.1.1 the~agreement of the m8,}onty of the di-

TeCtan Md . .

3.1.2 a·~tution in favour of the propoM<!

appoiotmeDl puaed by the tru..st.eea. 3.2 Subject to 3.3and 3.4 an editOTtlhell not be

diamiaed without: . • 3.2.1 the agreement of tl)e mAjority of the dj·

reetGnllDd •

3.2.2 • reeolut:i~ in fnour of ~e p~

~ puled by the trustees and 3.~.3 the aVeemeot of the, el~ represen-

tative ... if any, of the editonal ,tafr of the newJ,,.peiconoemed.

3 3 ]0 the nent that the majority

or

^the'

. truAees do oot-sree with the propoeed ap- pointm«lt or dilllrDisaal. it .• hall not taJ;.e . place for a period of up ~ 8UC montha from . : the date 011 which the t:rus~ ~ . .fint; . IUked for their agl'MmetlL During this pe-

riod. the dira..-t.on and truateee .hall a~

tempt to reach agrtoeUlent. if ~e!lt 18 not I"Mched within eU: mouths. tbtt ~ ton .hall be entitled to tub the appomt- mBDt or the _ _ di.aDiaaal 'fithout tbe appranJ. cC

:U In the neat that the elected repre.e.n·

la"", doee DOt ag:ree with the propoeec:l. die·

mia&l. ^it, ehall t)Ot take place for. period cf up to three IDODtha from the date CD w~ch the JEP1.-efttatinl ... 6nt asked. (ar biaIber appnrnL During eueb period the c:lirectan aDd the repreMntatn-e aball at- tempt to ~ch agreemmt. if agreement iB not. resc:bed within the aaid period c!\hree monUu, the dintcton ,ball be entitled to

make the di .... i ... J without the agreement of the J'ep1"MeDtatin...

4

BoAROOf'TRUSTEE.8

4.1 The boArd of truet.ees shall compriae fi~

per.lona appointed u guanliana of the getI-

eral c:hara~, independence and integrity ofLhe publicati"n. Meetinpof~ will be convened by the company tec:ret.a.ry at the request of the direc:ton or oC an editor or of any truetee and will be con:luc:ted ac- cording to the prooedu.rea Mt. out in 5.

•. 2 The ftnt five tnl8teee ('"the initial trustees-) will be appointed by the chair- man, aft.er consulting with the direc:ton oC the company, the editonl oCthe neW1lpepen and anyone elae he may with to conault.

'Iben:llfWr th~ tnl8teee will elect their own lIIuCO!'Uora 8.11 the need ariee., living oon- aideration to the inclusion oC at lu.at one Cormered.itor.

•. 3 OC\.he five initial truatees. one e.haJ..I retire at the end of year one, another at the end of year two, BLOther at the end of year three, another at the end oC YeM four and the laat at the end of year five. (The aforesaid ~

rioda an hereinafter referred to Ba the "ini- tial t.erm&i. The c:hai.rman shall .tipulat.e who shall retire on the "aid dates at the time ofmalting the initial appointment..

4." The initial truet.eea shall be eligihle Cor re- election &fteT their initial terms have ex- pired.

•. 5 All trustees, including the initial tru.tees after their initial terms, eha.1J retire after two yean. but ahall be eligible far re-ap- pointment (01' Curtber pe-rioda oCtwo yean, provided that ILDY truat..:e who baa I!Ier\"ed for rix consecutive yean (e:zcluding the ini·

tial term o(t.be initial t.ruat.en).hall nol.be eligible Cor re-election unLlla further two yean have elapeed.

4.6 The tTUllt.eea sb.all not be emplO)'Mll or di-

rectoTII of the company but mould ha,", an undeTlltaDding of the pnenl character. in- dependence and integrity o(the company'.

. De'W1Ipapera, and be penlOD.ll

or

IltaDding in theoommunity.

4.7 'I'be remuneration o(the trust.eM (01'their

eemce8 . . such shall be detenniDed fi'Om time to time by the diredora.

5 ^~OFT

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6.1 Thetruet.eeemay:

6.1.1 meet, acljoum and otherwiae regulate their meetinp . . they think fit, iLnd any trustee ahal.I be entitled to CODYaN!I or di·

rect the aecntary to con"ftne a meeting

or

au.teee

5.l..2 determine what notice ahal.I be liven GC their meetinp and. the meaaa oC giTiDg that notice, ~ded that any web prior det.erm.i.oatioD may be nried,. depending

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INSTITUUT VIR EIETYDSE GESKIEDENIS

Die

Univ ~ rsiteit

van die Oranje-Vrystsa1

h

^O"om

I f31l' ^{I [ ~s' cl c}

1-1. Go~ i , C,[ • \ '71 ~ . '"'rr'JUL 1S9S

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6.2 Th@quorum ne<:easary for UtI! transAction o(trusLee8' bwineu oflhe truat.ees sh811 be four tl"'usteee. A relloiution of the trusteee shall be paased by a majority of the votellor the t?ustee8 present at the meeting at which it ill proposed and at which 11 quo.r:wn

ill presenL • "

6.31fwithiri halfan hourofthdtime appOinted

for a m~ting a quorum (If truat.eeil il Dol present then the meeting shall slat1d ad- journed'to the aante day &even daya.~nee.

or the nett a~ bueineM dlP,.if that . is Dot a b~··day. and if at;tbe ad·

journed me&iGi'B quorum i.e Do~~nt.

. then the ~8tee8 preseDlllh~ ~~~'!:f:e B quorum, provided that DO~ce o('f~ ,ad·

j\mrnsd meeting haLl beet. ,pven tD.:aJl.~

# truat.eee Dol pngent at the f1T1lt ~Ling ..

6.4 The secretary aball att.end all ~tinga of trustees and place before the trU.steee I\l.I documeou and papers in the companf-"

poneseion whieh the truatfta DlllY d~lre

to see, and perfonn alleueh eec:etarial duo tiee ae the ~t.en may reqwrt. but th@

eecret.ary llball ~ bound to retire from.the . meeting of truAlee8 whenever eo requlN'd by th@t.rueteee.

6

El£cT'ED REPRfSENTATM OfEDlTOfIIW.

STAFf .

6.1 The steffofeach new~paper .h~. 88 aoo.n Po PosiJible aft.er the tncorporation of ^tnlfl

~T i.nto the a.rticl~ of &UOciation of the C(lmpany, be reque:et.ed toel~ ~repff:'

eentative to act on tb~U' behalCWlth regard

tolbi.ehar'Ulr. . i

6.2 All permanent editorial NIT

:"' :1.: . ..

·r~ of the newspaper concerned eh...:. ,. ;~\!,.,; .. blt!

. to partieipate in theeleetion.

6.3 The election .hall be held a.a I'I-....ret ballot·

under the £loI.perviaion of \he COUlpany eec· , re.tary and the Budi ton of the compan,. . 6 .• The compan,. will provide th~ neceuary',

faciliUea (or the election and will all,"" ~e

.taff to UM eompaIU' pnrmiaee ID bold meet:-"

iDp ae uuay be reaaona.bl,. nflCell8.lU'J J,o gl..-eefl'ect.tothiacbarteT. .' . 6.5 The elected rep!"eM'Qtatiye ebaU autOmat..

icall,. ruiin ^hie poei.tion if: ' .•

6.6.1 be la no I~r empl~ by the new.·

paper ... """ed . . . 6.6.2 he wtrUld be diaqualified for ~ ~

under the Act. a. ameuded or replacW

&om time toWne., from atting as a dirtctDr 6..6.3 be has held the poeit.ibl!l (or a C:OO~DO'U&

period offiwYtan. . . 8.6 ID the eftDt that the elected \represen-

tatiw retigDa for an,. reucm wb;at.eYer, or .t the written request of an,. tetr or more members of.taff' eligible to participate in

7~

7.1 Reportingofnews

7.1.1 A newspaper shall be obliged to report news truY:U:u11y....a.o:unUeIY.l.ndJ~Izject.lvely

7 .1.2 ~ewe shall be prnent.ed

m

the cotTeCt

amtextandin.~manner,without I

an intentional or negligent departure from the facta whdher by:

7.1.2.1 diatortion, exaggeration or misrepre- sentatioo;

7.1.2.2 material omi.ions; or 7.1.2.3 summarisation.

7.1.3 Only what may f'euonably be true hav·

ingregard to the lIoW"C'eofthe news, maybe presented aa facta, and sucb fade shall be publiehed fairly with due ~ to context ! IInd importance. Wb"!re a report ia not I

hoeed on [Ilet8 or ie founded on opiniOWl,

allegation, rumour or euprosit..ion. it llhall be presented in eucb me.nn.-l" IUI to indicate thie clearly.

7.104 Where there ib Ruon to doubt the cor·

rect.ocee of a report and it is practicable to verify the c:orTeCl.ne8S thereof. it shall be verified. Where it haa not been practicable to verify the c:orTectneea of a report. this IIhall be mentioned in sueb report.

7.1.5 Where it aubeequentiy appears that a published report wu incorreet in a mate- rial ~spect., it ah&ll be rectified sponta·

neously and without reeervetion or delay.

The c:ol'T'ed.ion sh.all be preeented with a degree of prominence which is adequate and fa.ir1lO IL8 readiJ,.to attract attention..

7.1.6 RePON, pbotographs or aket.ehee rel.- tive to matters involving indeeency or ob-

~nity shall be presented with due eenaj·

tivity towards tJu. pT")"ftiljnr moral....sli· mate. Inpa;:ticular, a n~papet' shall avoid the publication of ob.cene and Jas·

civious matter.

7.1.7 The identity ofreJM! -rietima and other vietima ofeuual violence llhall not be pub-

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INSTITUUT VIR EIETYDSE GESKIEDENIS

Die Univorsiteit van die O,anje-Vrystaat

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Business Day

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lliIhed without the coaeoent of the victim..

7.2 Commeat

7.2.1 A newwp&per shall be entitled to com·, meat up on O!' eriticiBe any adions or eveou of public import.anee prorided IUch

comment. or eriticiama &re Cairl,. and bw·

eetl, made.

7.2.2 Comment .hall be pre:eented in web

. manner- that it appean clearly that it ill

commeot.. and sball be made on facts truly atated ^01'" fairly iodicated Md referTed to. . 7.2.3 Comment shall be an honNt. ~OD

of opinion, without ma!ioe or dieboneet me,:.

tivn, and t:hall take fair aCOOUDt of.all available £aCta' which an material to the matter eottu'Opoted upon.

. 7.3 Special provilliona

7.3.1 Headlines and captiOll8 to pictures aball

"give. rea.eooable reOectioll of the c:oatenla

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oelhe report or picture in queetion.

7.3.2 PQ8tenl shall not aaggeTBte and shall give a !'6lUKIQBble reflection of the conteul8 of the reporta in question.

7 .• Pri: .. acy

lnaofar b loath De'W1J and comment are COD-

crrned. a ~"I'W"lpaPt"r shall exettille excep- tional can BL-i CiO'Il.-id@Tlltioainmattersin·

'rOlving the pn ,.,.te lives and ^COOcerD8 of individua1e:. bearb..;:':" mind that the right to privaey may be Clftr'!'idden by a legiti- matt: public interest.

7.6 Payment for articles

No payment shall be made for feature articlee to pe1'1IOmI ~ in crime or other no- torious aUsbehaTiour, or to convictN per- eon. or to their anociatee, including fam- ily. friends. neighbours and colleagues. u:- oept "here the material OO1loerneci ought to

be published in the public: ~\er'ce\ aDd the payment is neoeuaryforthie to be done.

7.6Genenl Due care and reepcn:wibili. ·~ ..~ • hollbo...,.;..d by Dew8papen with regazd to: . . 7.6.1wbjeete that ma,. ~uee e~ty or IP""'

offence in raeia1. ethnic.. rell810Wl or cul- tural matters, or incite penotUI to contra- 'f'e1)e the la,,; .

7 8.2 matten that may detrimenta1.ly affect . the peaoe and pod. order, the wety and

defence oftbe Republic and ita peoPl~i 7.6.S the preeentation

or

brutality, nolenee

and .t:rocitiee.

8

::=:,::*INTOAlmcLDOF

Tbd charter will be incorporated into ~ &J'o

ticl_ of aaaociation of the ~~pany and.

where applieable., its .w,.idi.ru:r CODl~­

ruee. and it ahall be. ~reqwstte:iU::

appoiDtmeDt that all directon, • truateee and elected. ^J api ear:ntati'ft115 ~ the editorial staff from time to time ahall ~ .- copy hereof to indicate that they coomder It lobe biDdingopnnthem.

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, INSTITUUT VIR EIETYDSE GESKIEDENIS

.

Die

Uni·ver~i.teit

^van die Oranje-Vrystaat

8ton

I

I ^I O""M 9~ I

Onderwt':rp I(nlo.sel

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. saturday Star

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