Understanding Editorial Independence and Public
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by South East Academic Libraries System (SEALS) Understanding Editorial Independence and Public Accountability Issues in Public Broadcasting Service: A Study of the Editorial Policies at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for a Master of Arts Degree in Journalism and Media Studies RHODES UNIVERSITY By Denis Charles Jjuuko March 2005 Supervisor: Professor Guy Berger i Table of Contents Table of Contents................................................................................................................ ii Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... v Dedication......................................................................................................................... vii Financial Acknowledgement ...........................................................................................viii List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................... ix Abstract............................................................................................................................... x CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 1.0. Introduction.................................................................................................................. 1 1.1. General Background .................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Theoretical Perspectives .............................................................................................. 3 1.3. Objectives of the Study................................................................................................ 3 1.4. Methods, Procedures and Techniques of the Study..................................................... 3 1.5. Thesis Outline .............................................................................................................. 4 1.6 Conclusion. ................................................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER TWO ................................................................................................................ 7 LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK .................................. 7 2.0 Introduction................................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Definition of Public Broadcasting Service ................................................................... 7 2.2 Core Editorial Values in PBS ....................................................................................... 9 2.2.1 Editorial Independence ............................................................................................ 10 2.2.2 Public Accountability............................................................................................... 12 2.2.3 International Public Accountability Models: The Case of the BBC........................ 14 2.3 Tensions in Editorial Independence and Public Accountability................................. 16 2.4 Towards a Working Definition of Policy.................................................................... 17 2.4.1 Media Policy Development Perspective .................................................................. 19 2.4.2 Purposes and Functions of Policy............................................................................ 22 2.4.3 Policy Implementation, its Successes and Limitations............................................ 24 2.4.4 Values, Policies and Codes...................................................................................... 27 2.5 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 28 CHAPTER THREE .......................................................................................................... 29 REAEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES............................................................ 29 3.0 Introduction................................................................................................................. 29 3.1 Goal of Research......................................................................................................... 29 3.2 The Qualitative Research Tradition............................................................................ 30 3.2.1 The Case Study ........................................................................................................ 30 3.2.2 Document Analysis.................................................................................................. 32 3.3 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 32 ii CHAPTER FOUR............................................................................................................. 34 HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE SABC AND ITS TRANSFORMATION INTO A PUBLIC BROADCASTER.............................................................................................. 34 4.0 Introduction................................................................................................................. 34 4.1 Brief History of the SABC.......................................................................................... 34 4.2 The SABC as a Tool of Government Propaganda...................................................... 37 4.3 The Inception of Democracy and its Significance to the SABC ................................ 40 4.4 The Transformation of the SABC into a Public Broadcaster ..................................... 44 4.4.1 The Triple Inquiry.................................................................................................... 45 4.4.2 Restructuring Recommendations and their Results. ................................................ 46 4.4.3 The Green and White Papers ................................................................................... 49 4.5 The SABC Public Mandate......................................................................................... 50 4.5.1 The Charter .............................................................................................................. 50 4.5.2 SABC Core Editorial Values ................................................................................... 51 4.5.3 The SABC Editorial Code ....................................................................................... 52 4.6 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 55 CHAPTER FIVE .............................................................................................................. 56 THE SABC EDITORIAL POLICY FORMULATION PROCESS ................................. 56 5.0 Introduction................................................................................................................. 56 5.1 Origins of SABC Editorial Policy............................................................................... 56 5.1.1 The Broadcasting Amendment Bill, the Politics of Policy Formulation and the Broadcasting Act (as amended) ........................................................................................ 57 5.2. Editorial Policy Process ............................................................................................. 60 5.3 SABC Implements Act Provisions ............................................................................. 62 5.4 SABC Draft Editorial Policy and Public Consultations ............................................. 63 5.4.1 Upward Referral: How Far Up and When. .............................................................. 65 5.4.2 MD of News and Current Affairs. ........................................................................... 69 5.4.3 Final SABC Editorial Policies ................................................................................. 71 5.5 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 72 CHAPTER SIX................................................................................................................. 73 ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS ............................................ 73 6.0 Introduction................................................................................................................. 73 6.1 Editorial Responsibility, Upward and Mandatory Referral ........................................ 73 6.2 Editorial Policies......................................................................................................... 76 6.2.1 Programming Policy ................................................................................................ 77 6.2.2 News (Current Affairs and Information Programming) Policy............................... 79 6.2.3 Language Policy....................................................................................................... 83 6.2.4 Religious Broadcasting Policy................................................................................