WHAT WE DO
ABOUT SANEF
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media.
We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics and diversity in the South African media.
SANEF promotes excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research, education and training programmes.
QUALITY
SANEF promotes excellence in journalism through training and education programmes as well as our free-of-charge publications.
ETHICS
SANEF is committed to encouraging ethically-driven media, and providing an environment for ethics discourse.
FREEDOM
SANEF supports a free media and the right of the media to work without fear of reprisal, harassment or intimidation.
DIVERSITY
Among SANEF’s key endeavours is the work of addressing racial and gender diversity in the media so that it more accurately reflects South Africa’s demographics.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND CORE PRINCIPLES
Strategic objects
SANEF’s chief aim is to be a representative and credible voice of journalism in society, to facilitate diversity in newsrooms and reporting, enable a culture of real debate and promote free and independent journalism of the highest standard. In addition, SANEF defends media freedom. We campaign for the elimination of legislation and commercial pressures that restrict media while also supporting the establishment of editors’ forums in the region and the continent.
core principles
SANEF is founded on high ideals in an industry that, around the world, is often maligned for its lack of integrity. As a result, occupying the ethical high ground can be challenge. As succinctly described by Henry Jeffreys, editor of Die Burger newspaper, in May 2004: “Now that we’ve arrived, what are we going to do about the very high expectations that ordinary South Africans have of us leaders of the media? The bad news for editors … is that those expectations are not going to go away.” SANEF’s purpose is to help the media fulfil those expectations
VISION, MISSION AND VALUES
vision
To promote the quality and ethics of journalism, to reflect the diversity of South Africa, and to champion media freedom.
mission
To be a resource and catalyst for achievement of its vision through debate and action programmes.
values
Our values are integrity, tolerance, accountability and the public interest.