Media Release: SABC Self Censorship
Issued by the Freedom of Expression Institute
26 May 2006

The FXI is deeply disturbed about recent reports regarding the SABC's
decision not to flight a documentary on Thabo Mbeki scheduled for last week
Wednesday. We have also just learnt that another documentary, this time on
Irvin Khoza, was altered by removing the most controversial part from the
film.

The explanation given by the SABC for canning the Mbeki film raises more
questions than answers. It also confirms the broadcaster s growing tendency,
of late, to refuse to explain controversial editorial decisions on the basis that
these decisions are its own business. No-one expects the SABC to engage
in mass consultation before making controversial judgement calls, but there
needs to be more transparency in how these judgement calls are made.
Ultimately, the SABC itself is responsible for ensuring that commissioned
programmes jump the hoops of internal approval before being flighted and
viewers should not be made to pay for something that was within the SABC s
control. The documentary was also advertised during the course of the week
before the day that it was to be flighted. This action indicates the SABC s
growing disrespect towards the public it is supposed to be servicing. So
much for the talk of the SABC shifting from being a public broadcaster that is
inward-oriented and self-assessing to a broadcaster that is citizen-focused.
This shift is explained in the SABC s new strategic outlook document recently
unveiled by the CEO Dr Dali Mpofu.

The judgement with regard to the Thabo Mbeki documentary needed to be
made by the public. The producers of the documentary have said that senior
SABC staffers kept tabs on the production of the film, were cognisant of any
legal implications and followed all necessary procedures. Given the content
of the documentary, the decision to pull the documentary at the very last
minute has the look and the feel of self-censorship.

This impression is underscored by other recent incidents that call into
question the SABC s will to report on the central political controversies
without fear or favour. This is the second time recently that a programme
slated for broadcast has bitten the dust at the eleventh hour. The first
incident involved an `Asikhulume interview. Also, a pro-Zuma song was
pulled from the SABC s play list and the reasons given were unsatisfactory.
Then there was the inept handing of television reporting of the booing of
Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, resulting in an internal
investigation. It can hardly be coincidental that the most troubling editorial
decisions the SABC has made recently relate to the controversies
surrounding the President and the former and current Deputy Presidents.
Any reasonable person would join the dots and infer that the SABC is acting
in this manner because it is pro-Thabo Mbeki and anti-Jacob Zuma. This is
not a conspiracy theory; it is a reasonable inference to draw under the
circumstances.

When viewed together, these incidents imply that self-censorship is
becoming the single biggest threat to the independence of the SABC. In fact,
the SABC s actions make external interference redundant, as controversial
material is filtered out of the system before it sees the light of day.

What is particularly disturbing is that no apology was given at the time of
broadcast regarding the rescheduling of the programme. Also, apparently the
programme producers were not warned of the rescheduling. This smacks of
contempt for the viewing public and for the programme producers. If the
SABC expects the public to buy into its new strategic outlook of 'public
service broadcasting for total citizen empowerment', then it needs to desist
from disempowering the very public it claims to serve. This it has done by
promising a programme on a particular date, not delivering, not explaining
why at the time, and then hiding behind internal processes after the fact.

For more information, call:
Virginia Setshedi - 083 557 1339
Na eem Jeenah - 084 574 2674