The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has today (11 July) ruled that the SABC must withdraw its editorial policy regarding covering of violent protests.
The complaint to Icasa was filed by lobby groups, Media Monitoring Africa, the SOS Support Public Broadcasting Coalition and the Freedom of Expression Institute. The groups were challenging the validity of SABC’s decision on changes to their editorial policy.
In the past few months, the SABC introduced controversial changes to their editorial policy, among those was a decision to stop airing violent protests. At the time, chief operations officer, Hlaudi Motsoeneng said they wanted to promote responsible journalism at the public broadcaster. Motsoeneng stated that airing of such images would incite more copycat tactics and behaviour among protesting communities.
Icasa gave the SABC board seven days to write to the authority confirming the reversal of the controversial editorial changes.
