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The Broadcasting Complaints Commission has made the right to Freedom of Expression a central element in its findings on three complaints against Algoa FM breakfast presenter, Daron Mann, following a recent controversy over his comments about smoking a "joint".
Three listeners laid formal complaints with the BCCSA following the broadcast on May 30th after an on-air discussion about two members of the boy band One Direction being filmed smoking a dagga joint.
They said Mann's comment about smoking a "joint" sanctioned or promoted unlawful conduct and that it was harmful to children.
"People especially children listen to his comments and we as parents then have to explain that what he said is not right. Darron said he is only practising his right of ‘freedom of speech”, one complainant wrote.
In his findings BCCSA, Professor Henning Viljoen, said among other things, that "it is the task of the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa to also protect the freedom of speech and expression of broadcasters."
Interestingly, while he said that there's a duty on broadcasters to be "careful what they broadcast", there is also a "a duty on parents and care givers to protect children in their care against anything that might be harmful to the children."
