Take A Stand Against Censorship 3
The Independent Group (publishers of a majority of SA’s newspapers) has asked for public help in fighting the new Film and Publications Amendment Bill. Here’s a joint statement released by the Freedom of Expression Institute, the National Editor’s Forum and the Media Institute of South Africa about the bill:
If this proposal is accepted by parliament, the effect will be that the print and broadcast media will be subjected to the dictates of the Film and Publications board. The practical effects will be that the media will be subjected to pre-publication censorship, probably forced to expunge large amounts of their news coverage from their pages or broadcasts and submit to procedures which will prevent papers from being distributed on a daily or weekly basis and result in broadcasters having to delay news broadcasts. The fact that the Bill makes provision for exemption matters little, as to impose this duty on the media amounts to seeking licence to publish.
If you care about an issue like this (and you should) then help out by attedning the public sessions and sending your submission to Matabela Mankge at mmankge@parliament.gov.za.
Also, if you care about the ANC’s flagrant disregard for the democratic wishes of Capetonians (and you should), then write to MEC Richard Dyanti and fax it to his office at 021 483 8789. Or call him at 021 483 5200.
Nicely done Farrel, will post on this next week!
Geordin, nice to see a kindered spirit. See http://someamongus.com/?p=307
If this bill passes as is I plan on submitting every story I post here to the Film and Publications Board. If all South African weblogs do this they will probably be so snowed under that they will be unable to actually do anything.