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Mentorship Scheme for Community Newsrooms Based in Kenya and Zambia and South Africa

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Call for Applications

Mentorship scheme for community newsrooms based in Kenya and Zambia and South Africa

Developing Editorial Policies and a Comprehensive Business Plan for Enhancing Sustainable, Independent and Ethical Journalism in Africa

Date: 25th March 2024| Application deadline: 3rd of April 2024.

The Thomson Reuters Foundation presents an exciting opportunity for community newsrooms in Kenya, Zambia, and South Africa to strengthen their resilience and sustainability framework by developing solid and updated set of Editorial Standards and Policies, and an integral Business Plan for their newsroom to respond to the challenging and fast-evolving landscape in the African Media.

Throughout the course, newsrooms will work with regional and international mentors to develop and/or strengthen their editorial policies and business plans addressing key areas of need previously identified with the support from the lead mentor. Areas of need could include, for example, operations, assessment of their business model and newsroom management, editorial policies regarding the use of artificial intelligence in the newsrooms, content and data sharing, and sourcing, among others.

The mentorship programme will consist of three parts:

  1. Needs assessment: TRF will connect with the selected newsrooms to better understand their needs and tailor the mentoring programme according to the newsrooms’ needs.
  2. Training and mentoring: based on the needs of the newsrooms the consultants will conduct a four-day training and intensive mentoring course in Nairobi, Kenya, where the representatives from the newsroom will have an overview of the areas of focus in relation to their editorial policies and business plans.

*The training and mentoring will take place during the week of the 22nd of April. TRF will cover travel expenses and accommodation.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

We are looking for:

  • Community based newsrooms who are:
    • Editorially independent, regardless of ownership. This means that editors have the freedom to make decisions without interference from the owners of the publication, business interests and/or other non-editorial actors. Not owned, controlled, affiliated or associated with government, political entities or politically exposed persons.
    • Focusing some or all of their content on producing original public interest journalism. This means their journalism should aim to inform the public about matters of relevance to their lives, well-being, and their rights and responsibilities as citizens
    • Striving to produce balanced, fair and accurate journalism, which explores all sides of an issue and presents those findings accurately.
  • Newsrooms based in the community with at least three or more employees.
  • Newsrooms based in South Africa
  • Newsrooms with the capacity and willingness to commit to attend a four-day in person training and mentoring in Nairobi, Kenya on the week of the 22nd of April.
  • Staff attending the training and mentoring should speak fluent English. 

Expression of interest overview:

To apply, the newsroom’s Editor in Chief, Senior Editors in charge or Editorial Managers, should email [email protected] expressing your interest in participating in the training and mentoring by midday, 3rd of April 2024. 

Applicants should attach the following documents as part of the application process:

  • A link or pdf of your current Editorial Standards and Policies and/or other related documents
  • If the newsroom currently has an operational business plan in place, please attach a copy.
  • Two relevant work samples of public-interest type content (maximum file size 5 MB). TV/Radio based newsrooms may submit transcripts of broadcasts, a brief summary, and/or links to online versions. Participants are encouraged to provide details of circulation and reach of their publications if possible.
  • A statement of up to 300 words addressing the following:
    • Nominating two people from your newsroom who will take part in the programme: include their names and current position. Ideally, one person with Editorial management responsibilities and one person within the operations and management of the newsroom should take part.
    • how do you expect to benefit from this programme
    • how your newsroom fits the eligibility criteria, responding to the following questions:
      • Are you editorially independent or aspire to be editorially independent?
      • What is the ownership structure of your newsroom?
      • What is the size of your newsroom?
      • What is the reach and size of your audience?
      • Please include links to your social media channels

 

Community Media (2)

SANEF Second Call For Independent Newsrooms To Join Community Media Digitisation Drive

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Are you an independent print, radio, or TV newsroom in the very early stages of embracing digital media? If so, this programme could be exactly what you’re looking for.

SANEF recognises the critical importance of community media to the overall diversity of the media industry. However, community media operate in a challenging economic environment. Many print and broadcast newsrooms struggle to diversify their content distribution and revenue options to include digital platforms with potential future growth.

To address this, SANEF invites independent newsrooms to join community media digitisation drive to be a part of the second call of the programme.

This programme is aimed at assisting print and broadcast community media organisations to map out their online media strategies, and to develop sustainable websites, workflows and other digital media platforms.

Furthermore, the programme will assist newsrooms to enhance their content creation and distribution practices, while fully using all available digital tools.

Photo Caption: Right to Left: Chris Mcinga (MeD8 Media), Sithembile Zondo (North Coast Radio), Monwabisi Khininda (Ikhwezi laseMthatha), Langelihle Lucas Chagwe (Izwi Lomphakathi Newspaper)

This second call will help participants set up tools and workflows for digital newsgathering, multimedia production, content management, as well as publication to the web and social media. Optional modules such as streaming, podcasting services, and different platforms (e.g. WhatsApp, TikTok) will also be provided.

Training and ongoing support will be provided by a help desk, the Community Media Support Service (CMSS).

Currently, there are already some community media print publishers and a community radio station participating in the SANEF Community Media Digitisation Drive.

To qualify, your organisation will need to:

  1. Be a community media organisation that lacks or has an underperforming digital presence.
  2. Primarily operate in the community media sector (print and/or broadcast).
  3. Have at least 3 years of experience in regular production and dissemination of news content to a defined audience. Basic existing systems for gathering news and information, editing, and other processing content for publication and distribution.
  4. Have staff and/or volunteers with the necessary basic skills (computer literacy: use of internet browsers, Word processors) to integrate, operate, update, and sustain the websites, tools, and processes that they learn about and receive during the pilot.
  5. Have healthy relationships with local businesses that would be open to trying new or additional forms of advertising and partnerships.
  6. Subscribe to and abide by the South African Press Code of the Press Council and/or the BCCSA Code.
  7. Be registered as a company, co-operative, or NPO.

Applications are open until 20 October 2023

An independent panel of media experts will assess the applications. The panel’s decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. 

  1. This is a second call for applications. Organisations that applied in response to the first call should not apply again as their applications will automatically be considered for the second round.
  2. Applications are open to independent publishers/community broadcasters with or without existing websites.
  3. The specific support provided to each selected participant will be customised according to their specific needs. For example, applicants who already have a WordPress website will probably not receive a new website but, depending on the project team’s evaluation of their existing sites, might receive support to improve their existing sites.
  4. Selected participants will also play a mentorship role to support others, to encourage skills transfer within the sector.

To apply for this programme, please fill in the application form here: https://bit.ly/SANEFDIGITISATION

 Note to Editors:

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 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. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research, and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.

For more information please contact:

  • Sbu Ngalwa – SANEF Chairperson (073) 404-1415
  • Nwabisa Makunga – SANEF Deputy Chairperson (082) 555-1972
  • Qaanitah Hunter – SANEF Secretary-General
  • Tshamano Makhadi – Treasurer-General (082) 223 0621
  • Makhudu Sefara – SANEF Media Freedom Chair (079) 177-2134
  • Judy Sandison – SANEF KZN Convenor (082) 571-3334
  • Dr. Glenda Daniels – SANEF Gauteng Convenor (083) 229-9708
  • Rochelle De Kock – SANEF Eastern Cape Convenor (072) 969-8028
  • Reggy Moalusi – SANEF Executive Director (071) 682-3695

 

Media Freedom

SANEF Condemns Acts of Violence Against Newcastle Advertiser Female Journalists by the Town’s Mayor

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17 March 2023

The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) condemns the acts of intimidation and harassment of the Newcastle Advertiser journalists by the municipality mayor Xolani Dube and his deputy Sugar Thwala.

SANEF understands that on 2 March, the Newcastle Advertiser journalist Estella Naicker was covering the story of the Newcastle Resident’s Association (NRF) members filling potholes in their area.

“I was on Hathorn Street (Newcastle, Ward 3) at about 1.30 pm chatting to members of the Newcastle Residents Forum (NRF), Matthew Shunmugam and Neil Sooknanan about a project they were busy with, repairing potholes … a convoy of vehicles arrived.

“The environment was tense and there was immediately some heckling. The councillors accused Matthew of trying to redeem himself for failing to fill those very same potholes before he decided to retire as a councillor,” said Naicker.

She said the deputy mayor Thwala demanded to know “what I was doing there, saying that nobody invited me to be there and asked that I leave. Mayor Xolani Dube accused me of being paid by the ANC to write negative stories about them.”

She said she moved across the road and the councillors saw that she had her phone out, taking photos. They objected which prompted two bodyguards to rush across the street demanding her phone.

“I shouted that they had no right to take my phone and I would regard that as theft. They demanded the pics be deleted and then took my phone deleting any pics they found on it of the scene that was unfolding. Then they handed my phone back. I had one bodyguard standing on either side of me after that to make sure I didn’t take any more photos.

Naicker said she called her colleague Zianne Leibrandt , to let her know about what was happening. Leibrandt brought along another journalist Mbali Butale to record the incident but they were blocked when they arrived and ordered by the politicians’ bodyguards not to do their job including taking pictures.

Deputy mayor Thwala approached Naicker and began yelling at her for publishing articles about him. She has written an exposé on the municipality, in a damning 4-page series, regarding the awarding of a contract to a company called Pro Afrika for R43.5 million – for a water and sanitation project.

SANEF regards the actions of the mayor, deputy mayor and councillors as unacceptable violent behaviour of a criminal nature towards female journalists. Instead of cleaning Instead of focusing on their responsibilities, these councillors have decided to be extremely hostile towards the Newcastle Advertiser which is investigating and exposing the corruption and fraud in the municipality.

It is an indictment on our democracy to witness attacks on journalists happening under the mayor’s watch, if not orchestrated by the town’s first citizen, and law enforcement officials turning a blind eye. Both Mayor Dube and his deputy Thwala took oath to uphold the same Constitution that upholds media freedom as one of the major pillars of our democracy. They should be charged for the breach of their Constitutional duties. We will also be writing formal complaints to their respective political parties, about their behaviour and call for action.

Note to Editors:

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 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. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research, and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.

For more information please contact:

  • Sbu Ngalwa – SANEF Chairperson (073) 404-1415
  • Nwabisa Makunga – SANEF Deputy Chairperson (082) 555-1972
  • Tshamano Makhadi – Treasurer-General (082) 223 0621
  • Makhudu Sefara – SANEF Media Freedom Chair (079) 177-2134
  • Katy Katopodis – SANEF Wellness and Safety Chair (082) 805-7022
  • Judy Sandison – SANEF KZN Convenor (082) 571-3334
  • Dr. Glenda Daniels – SANEF Gauteng Convenor (083) 229-9708
  • Rochelle De Kock – SANEF Eastern Cape Convenor (072) 969-8028
  • Reggy Moalusi – SANEF Executive Director (071) 682-3695
Community Media (2)

SANEF is Horrified by Growing Trends of Physically Intimidating and Trends of Harming Journalists

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15 March 2023

The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is horrified by growing trends of physically intimidating and harming journalists to stop them from reporting on important stories in the Eastern Cape.

We have learnt that the Dispatch’s senior reporter received an anonymous call from a person who didn’t introduce himself and told him to watch his back as there were people hired to shoot him.

The caller urged him to be careful on stories he has been investigating that, SANEF is led to believe, are related to the assassination of University of Fort Hare (UFH) Vice-Chancellor (VC) Sakhela Buhlungu’s close protector – Mboneni Vesele. The newspaper was forced to pull the shaken journalist out of the stories he was working on last week Thursday.

SANEF applauds the Dispatch editors and management for their immediate action to ensure the safety of the journalist who is currently in a safer place. We also note that the matter was brought to the attention of law-enforcement authorities for proper investigation who have assigned a police Captain to investigate the case.

In September last year, the Herald reporter was harassed and intimidated by locals who clashed with foreigners in Plettenberg Bay forcing the journalist to leave her home because of threats of violence by community members in KwaNokuthula township. So bad has the situation become that the reporter and the publication decided that her news reports will no longer carry her name to mitigate the intimidation and make her feel more at ease in a community in which she too is a member.

This is an indictment on our society when journalists, for safety reasons, must be removed from stories with clear public interest because the subjects of the reports are threatening to unleash violence. This is shameful.

Our democracy is enriched when journalists are allowed to report fearlessly, without intimidation. When this right is taken away from them, the victim is not simply the media, it is members of society who have a right to access information critical to the functioning of their country and democracy.

We believe that justice would be served if law enforcement authorities were to send a strong message by arresting and prosecuting the perpetrators.

Note to Editors:

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 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. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research, and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.

For more information please contact:

  • Sbu Ngalwa – SANEF Chairperson (073) 404-1415
  • Nwabisa Makunga – SANEF Deputy Chairperson (082) 555-1972
  • Tshamano Makhadi – Treasurer-General (082) 223 0621
  • Makhudu Sefara – SANEF Media Freedom Chair (079) 177-2134
  • Katy Katopodis – SANEF Wellness and Safety Chair (082) 805-7022
  • Judy Sandison – SANEF KZN Convenor (082) 571-3334
  • Dr. Glenda Daniels – SANEF Gauteng Convenor (083) 229-9708
  • Rochelle De Kock – SANEF Eastern Cape Convenor (072) 969-8028
  • Reggy Moalusi – SANEF Executive Director (071) 682-3695
Community Media (2)

SANEF Calls for Independent Newsrooms to Join Community Media Digitisation Drive 

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Are you an independent print, radio, or TV newsroom in the very early stages of embracing digital media? If so, this programme could be exactly what you’re looking for.

SANEF recognises the critical importance of community media to the overall diversity of the media industry. However, community media operate in a challenging economic environment. Many print and broadcast newsrooms struggle to diversify their content distribution and revenue options to include digital platforms that can lead to future growth.

To address this issue, SANEF is launching a programme to assist selected print and broadcast community media organisations to map out their online media strategies and to develop sustainable websites, workflows, and other digital media platforms.

The programme will also assist newsrooms to enhance their content creation and distribution practices and fully use available digital tools.

The programme will help participants set up tools and workflows for digital newsgathering, multimedia production, content management, and publication to the web and social media. Optional modules such as streaming, podcasting services, and different platforms (e.g. WhatsApp, TikTok) will also be provided.

Training and ongoing support will be provided by a help desk, the Community Media Support Service (CMSS).

To qualify, your organisation will need to:

  1. Be a community media organisation that lacks or has an underperforming digital presence.
  2. Primarily operate in the community media sector (print and/or broadcast).
  3. Have at least 3 years experience in regular production and dissemination of news content to a defined audience. Basic existing systems for gathering news and information, editing, and other processing content for publication and distribution.
  4. Have staff and/or volunteers with the necessary basic skills (computer literacy: use of internet browsers, Word processors) to integrate, operate, update, and sustain the websites, tools, and processes that they learn about and receive during the pilot.
  5. Have healthy relationships with local businesses that would be open to trying new or additional forms of advertising and partnerships.
  6. Subscribe to and abide by the South African Press Code of the Press Council and/or the BCCSA Code.
  7. Be registered as a company, co-operative, or NPO.

Applications are open until 20 March 2023. 

An independent panel of media experts will assess the applications. The panel’s decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

To apply for this programme, please fill in the application form here: https://forms.gle/8qugv4uZuQh6H3Qx8

Note to Editors:

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 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. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research, and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.

For more information please contact:

  • Sbu Ngalwa – SANEF Chairperson (073) 404-1415
  • Nwabisa Makunga – SANEF Deputy Chairperson (082) 555-1972
  • Tshamano Makhadi – Treasurer-General (082) 223 0621
  • Makhudu Sefara – SANEF Media Freedom Chair (079) 177-2134
  • Katy Katopodis – SANEF Wellness and Safety Chair (082) 805-7022
  • Judy Sandison – SANEF KZN Convenor (082) 571-3334
  • Dr. Glenda Daniels – SANEF Gauteng Convenor (083) 229-9708
  • Rochelle De Kock – SANEF Eastern Cape Convenor (072) 969-8028
  • Reggy Moalusi – SANEF Executive Director (071) 682-3695
Community Media (2)

SANEF Hosts Successful AGM as It Reflects on Challenges, Successes, and the Road Ahead for Journalism

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South African National Editors’ Forum commends the bravery of the country’s journalists, who are working under very difficult conditions while navigating the deadly Covid-19 pandemic. The recent unrests in Gauteng and Kwa-Zulu Natal saw journalists’ lives being threatened and at least 5 radio stations attacked, and their equipment stolen.

SANEF held a virtual non-elective Annual General Meeting, on Saturday 14 August, and discussed several issues including the challenges facing the industry – from media freedom, media sustainability, training of journalists ahead of the elections, access to information, education & training, and support for community media.

The AGM reasserted the pivotal role that journalism continues to play in our constitutional democracy and the importance of the work that has earnestly started to get the media industry to be financially sustainable.

Sbu Ngalwa, SANEF chairperson, said: “We have a lot of work ahead of us as an industry. We are now fully engaged with the work towards the sustainability of our profession. Members attending this AGM yet again reiterated their commitment and support to all efforts to ensure that we continue to enjoy a strong and independent media which produces quality journalism”.

Five community radio stations support

SANEF has decided to support five community stations that were recently affected by the unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. The five stations, Intokozo FM in Umlazi, Kasie FM in Katlehong, Alex FM in Alexandra, Mams FM in Mamelodi and Westside FM 98.9 MHz in Kagiso, will each been assisted with R20 000 to use towards the purchase of equipment they need as they work towards recovery, fully focused on serving their communities once more. The five stations were also specially recognised at the Nat Nakasa Awards, held on Saturday evening in Johannesburg.

For more information please contact:

  • Mahlatse Mahlase – SANEF Chairperson, (083) 399-2852
  • Katy Katopodis – SANEF Deputy Chairperson, (082) 805-7022
  • Moipone Malefane – SANEF Secretary-General (082) 772-5861
  • Mary Papayya – SANEF Media Freedom Chair (082) 379-4957
  • Sbu Ngalwa – SANEF Eastern Cape Convenor (073) 404-1415
  • Janet Heard – SANEF Western Cape Convenor (078) 041-9528
  • Hopewell Radebe – SANEF Gauteng Regional Convenor (083) 582-1734
  • Judy Sandison – SANEF KZN Convenor (082) 571-3334
  • Kate Skinner – SANEF Executive Director – (082) 926-6404

 

Community Media (2)

Call for Tenders: Supporting Community Media Sustainability in the Digital Environment

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Introduction

The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is the most influential media freedom advocacy grouping in South Africa. It consists of title editors and senior journalists operating in print, broadcasting, and digital mainstream at national, regional and community media levels, as well as media trainers and academics from major journalism departments and training institutes in the country.

SANEF’s vision is to promote the quality and ethics of journalism, to reflect the diversity of South Africa, to champion freedom of expression and to work towards the sustainability of journalism.

SANEF is aware of the critical importance of community media to the overall diversity of the media industry. However, we are concerned about the difficult environment that community media are operating in and the fact that many print and broadcast newsrooms struggle to diversify their content distribution and revenue options to include digitally driven future growth areas.

As one way forward SANEF would like to launch a project to assist selected print and broadcast community media organisations to create an online presence through developing sustainable websites and social media strategies. Where necessary, the service provider can also showcase how collaboration can benefit community media, in specific and close regions.

Services required

SANEF would like to invite civic/media tech organisations/companies/consultancies with a track record in digital media/journalism projects to manage and implement a community media digital development project with the following elements:

  1. Design digital workflows and tools for implementation in traditional print and broadcast newsrooms to enable them to publish their content on both traditional and online platforms, as part of a plan to ensure future sustainability.  Elements should include basics such as tools and workflows for digital newsgathering and multimedia production, a WordPress, or similar or better, content management and web publication system and social media strategies and management tools; as well as optional modules such as for streaming and podcasting services, and for different platforms (e.g. WhatsApp, TikTok). The proposed websites should also offer publishers/broadcasters an opportunity to explore alternative revenue streams, i.e. subscription services, online ad revenue, e-commerce or added-value offerings. The websites should also provide for interaction with third party applications, such as Pocket Reporter, which guides young reporters on how to do a variety of stories.
  1. Management of a pilot project to implement variations of this online toolkit in a first batch of 10 to 15 community print and broadcast newsrooms, considering available r individual infrastructure, requirements, and online opportunities in their communities. The project roll-out in each newsroom should include workshops to agree on a suitable set of solutions in each environment as part of a future sustainability plan, hardware, and software set-up as well as the necessary workflow and tools training to enable them to work on their own. In this process the proposed digital workflows and tools (as in 1 above) should be tested and refined for possible roll-out to a second batch of community newsrooms (not included in this tender).
  1. Establishing a central development and help desk to provide support for the roll-out and operations of the digital production and online services of the selected newsrooms.
  1. The proposed criteria and process to select the first batch of community newsrooms for the pilot project, considering provincial, language, urban/rural diversity and different kinds and sizes of newsrooms.

In summary, the project deliverables and budget must make provision for:

–   In point 1, a digital community media sustainability strategy, supported by a blueprint for implementation of a generic plan with variations for different kinds of newsrooms and online content services; plus, the hardware and software requirements per newsroom to implement variations of the blueprint. Also provide a timeline for implementation for each newsroom and for the entire project.

–    In point 2, the individual newsroom digital sustainability implementation plan, hardware and software implementation and training for each newsroom. Provision needs to be made for an assessment stage and adjustments (where necessary), and recommendations for the next batch based on lessons learnt from each newsroom.

–   In point 3, please provide details of the nature and operations of the central desk and services to be provided, from bulk hardware and software acquisition and licensing to management of a central server (if required) and support and maintenance services.

–     In point 4, details about the management of the selection process.

Submitting the tender

The tender document(s) must contain the following:

  • Name of bidder and contact details including company registration
  • Demonstrated experience in undertaking similar projects
  • Two references (name, phone and email, context in which you have worked together).
  • Detailed outline of the project plan, timeline and budget

Shortlisted bidders may be asked to present to the SANEF Management and Community Media sub-committees.

 Due date for submission: Monday, 11 July 2022

Submit your tender(s) to [email protected].

Please note the decision of the SANEF Management and Community Media Sub-Committees are final and no correspondence will be entered into with unsuccessful bidders.

Socials

Twitter: @SAEditorsForum

Email: [email protected]

Website: SANEF

Diversity and Ethics (2)

SANEF Urges the SA Jewish Report to Reconsider Their Stance Regarding the Press Council Ruling

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The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) calls on the publishers of the SA Jewish Report to reconsider their position, following the publication’s expulsion from the Press Council of South Africa.

SANEF finds it unfortunate that the South African Jewish Report forced the hand of the Press Council of South Africa (PCSA) to take the unprecedented action of expelling the SAJR after the publication refused to abide by the rulings of the Acting Press Ombud and the PCSA Chair of Appeals, Judge Bernard Ngoepe.

The matter stemmed from a complaint by the SA BDS Coalition and GIWUSA v SA Jewish Report. According to Press Council Chair Judge Phillip Levinsohn, the decision was taken after lengthy correspondence and after the SA Jewish Report had refused to abide by the finding against them. Judge Levinsohn said the Council spent time seeking to resolve the issue. However, the SA Jewish Report refused to publish the ruling against them.

SANEF calls on all members of the PCSA to respect the Press Council and its rulings. The Press Council is the bulwark against interference in the media and any self-respecting media organisation should be a member of the Press Council.

The Press Council continues to adjudicate complaints by members of the public and their findings, regardless of how they affect any member, must be respected.

The work of the PCSA is important in strengthening our democracy and ensuring that freedom of speech is protected while the highest ethical standards are upheld by the media.

SANEF reiterates our support for the Press Council and wish to implore all members, who subscribe to the principles of the co-regulatory mechanism, to remain committed to the system which is regarded as one of the best in the world.

We note that the Press Council is a voluntary, co-regulatory, public-dominated body which, inter alia, mediates and hand down binding ruling in terms of the Press Code. It does that to ensure ethical, fair, journalism.

We also wish to remind those who join the PCSA that they inadvertently commit to being bound by, and to publish, rulings of the Press Ombud and the Press Council’s appeals bodies. It should also be noted that dissatisfied parties with Press Ombuds’ rulings have the right to take them on appeal to the Appeals Panel, headed by an eminent, retired Judge, and if they are still unhappy, that can take the process on judicial review.

It is our view that no member of the Press Council should simply refuse to publish rulings against them. Therefore, compliance by the council’s members is deemed essential for its sustainability and credibility. Hence, the idea of simply refusing to adhere to its rulings not only undermines the Press Council but is also unfair to the complainants.

We implore the publishers of the SA Jewish Report to reconsider their position and abide by the ruling and to return to the fold of the PCSA.

* The PCSA rulings are available at https://presscouncil.org.za/Ruling?page=1

Note to Editors: 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. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.

For more information please contact:

  • Sbu Ngalwa – SANEF Chairperson (073) 404-1415
  • Adriaan Basson – SANEF Deputy Chairperson (082) 562-2113
  • Monica Laganparsad – Acting Secretary-General (082) 578-6111
  • Nwabisa Makunga – Treasurer (082) 555-1972
  • Makhudu Sefara – SANEF Acting Media Freedom Chair (079) 177-2134
  • Asanda Ngoasheng – Western Cape Convenor – 082 610-9374
  • Judy Sandison – SANEF KZN Convenor (082) 571-3334
  • Katy Katopodis – SANEF Gauteng Convenor (082) 805-7022
  • Chiara Carter – SANEF Eastern Cape Convenor (082) 659-9162
  • Reggy Moalusi – SANEF Executive Director (071) 682-3695

Socials

Twitter: @SAEditorsForum

Email: [email protected]

Website: SANEF

 

Community Media (2)

The South African National Editors’ Forum Offers Training on Covid-19 Reporting

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The Covid -19 pandemic has meant new challenges for journalists, who play a crucial role in informing people during the pandemic, with journalists working for community media being the most disadvantaged in terms of knowledge and supplies such as data.

Journalists face growing challenges in fulfilling their role as they report in an emergency of this nature. Hugely prevalent has been the dis- and mis- information scourge, which has run rampant, leaving the media to deal with copious amounts of dubious information. Media practitioners have also had to find new sources and new ways of accessing these sources as they report about Covid-19, and challenges brought by the pandemic.

“Community media plays a pivotal role in informing our communities. Journalists in this sector, and other sectors such as mainstream, have in the past two years played a masterful role to inform their audiences. This training will come in handy as we empower our journalists to be upskilled, as they report on this pandemic, and other challenges in the near future,” says Reggy Moalusi, SANEF’s Executive Director.

The training has been funded and supported by the Open Society Foundation-SA.

“It is for this reason, that SANEF is providing training to these journalists, building on the foundation of the Reporting the Pandemic Guide already produced,” he continued.

The workshops will be based on the existing guide, the compilation of which was informed by the collaboration of media practitioners, including community journalists, and education experts.

“With this training, journalists will be able to protect themselves and their sources, while educating their audiences” says Dr Sandra Roberts, Academic Head of fraycollege.

fraycollege has been contracted to develop and provide this training.

We encourage community journalists to apply to join. Those who do join will get data to attend the online workshops.

Deadline for applications is March 21, 2022. Sign up here.

For more information on the training contact Sandra Roberts, fraycollege, 084 9000 344, [email protected].

For media enquiries, contact Reggy Moalusi, Executive Director, SANEF, 071 682 3695, [email protected].

 

 

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