‘Protect press freedom in these unprecedented times’

Freedom of the press is not an end in itself, but a means to the end of achieving a free society.

This quote by Austrian-American lawyer, professor and jurist, Felix Frankfurter, underscores the role and duty of the free press now more than ever, as the world finds itself gripped by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In celebrating World Press Freedom Day amid the nationwide lockdown, the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) believes news media has never been more important – and yet it is under severe threat.

“Historically, World Press Freedom Day has been celebrated as a day on which citizens, journalists and journalist organisations around the world celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom and its benefits to society. We evaluate the status of press freedom internationally and in our countries, regions and continents and we recommit to defending journalists from attacks on their independence.”

In South Africa 2020, Sanef notes the important work done by journalists – particularly covering the Coronavirus pandemic. Journalists are designated essential workers and have been on the frontline telling stories of the spread and containment of the virus, the impact the virus has on people’s daily lives, holding to account those in authority and educating the public on minimising the risk of infection. “We have seen audiences soar as citizens seek information on health issues and the economy. While journalism plays its critical role, simultaneously it however, has also been under severe financial threat as the lockdown has prompted advertisers to rein in spending and made it difficult to circulate newspapers and magazines.”

Sanef is aware that community media journalists and freelancers face some of the greatest threats. Freelance workers do not have the traditional protection of paid sick leave, insurance and assistance from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). Consequently, they face the disproportionate risk of financial hardship. A survey carried out by the South African Freelancers Association (Safrea) has shown the impact of the pandemic, with more than 50% of members having already lost more than 70% of their income. Many freelancers have lost 100%, and because their work is often ad hoc rather than contractual, and they have been turned down for government relief funding.

Not only are jobs at stake, but also media diversity and the production of quality news to provide verifiably information in the public interest should newsrooms, already under pressure, shrink or news organisations be forced to close.

According to Caxton Local Media and Commercial Printing Managing Director, Jaco Koekemoer, the company still has core personnel operational who continue to publish hyper-local and national news on the group’s 72 digital platforms, and the company liaises with its clients and advertisers.

“We have seen unprecedented growth in the traffic on our digital platforms, with more than 10 million visitors and 20 million page views in March,” Koekemoer added.

“It is clear from the statistics that readers rely on our platforms as a source of accurate information.”

Amid World Press Freedom Day, the UN Secretary-General has called for greater protection of journalists who are providing the “antidote” to what he has characterised as a pandemic of misinformation surrounding the Covid-19 crisis.

António Guterres made the appeal in a video message for World Press Freedom Day, in which he underscored the crucial role media has in helping people make informed decisions.

Accurate information, a life and death issue

He added that under the current circumstances, those decisions can mean the difference between life and death.

“As the pandemic spreads, it has also given rise to a second pandemic of misinformation, from harmful health advice to wild conspiracy theories,” he said.

“The press provides the antidote: verified, scientific, fact-based news and analysis.”www.who.int

As the Covid-19 crisis has deepened, both the UN chief and the World Health Organization (WHO) have been focused on countering the Covid-19 ‘infodemic’.

In late March, the Secretary-General announced the launch of a communications strategy to fight the rise in misinformation and conspiracy theories surrounding the new disease.

Guterres urged governments to protect journalists and others who work in media, and to uphold press freedom.

He said while temporary movement constraints are essential to beat Covid-19, “they must not be abused as an excuse to crack down on journalists’ ability to do their work”.

* Notice: Coronavirus reporting at Caxton Local Media aims to combat fake news

Dear reader,

As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19.

Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za).