The ANC in the Eastern Cape has issued a challenge to the regional media to expand their distribution into rural areas.
ANC provincial spokesperson, Mlibo Qoboshiyane, was commenting on World Press Freedom Day on Thursday.
He says under the democratic dispensation, there is a need to protect such a freedom not only from government influence but also from opposition political party influence and commercial interests.
Qoboshiyane says these have the potential to affect access to news and information by some of people.
Read the full statement below:
"In honouring the World Press Freedom Day, we would like to challenge news media institutions in the province and those that have a national foot print to increase their distribution into rural areas."
"As we join scores of Journalists to honour this day, we are reminded of the reasons why the ANC included media freedom as part of its focus areas in its liberation struggle."
"Under the democratic dispensation, there is a need to protect such a freedom not only from government influence but also from opposition political party influence, commercial interests, which have a potential to affect access to news and information by some of our people."
"In relation to opposition political party influence, we have noticed an increasing propensity where some in the opposition party isles would send wrong and outdated information to the media in search of screaming headlines. This is not only wrong but it puts Journalists on the spot."
"We call on all news makers in our society to respect the media, respect Journalists as they do their job by providing them with the information they need in carrying out their functions, which are to inform, educate and entertain our society. Also, it is supreme for Journalists to show the same levels of respect to news makers and their readers."
"On this day, Journalists should highly consider sharing their editorial policies, which include treatment of sources with the society, especially government, religious bodies, political parties and their consumers so as to have a clear understanding of their operations."
"We may differ with Journalists here and there, but we are of the view that our collective commitment to freedom and liberation binds us together. On this day, we remember Journalists who put their lives and those of their families at risk by reporting the injustices scores of our people were subjected to by the erstwhile apartheid government."
"Our tribute to them is our constitution which gives rights to Journalists to practice their craft, makes supreme people's right to freedom of expression. We strongly believe that practicing those rights should, by and large, help our society to navigate the socio-economic labyrinth that continues to confront our society. Flow of information is supreme in such process."
"We must also appreciate the fact many News media organisations are giving opportunities to young people to work as Journalists. We call on more to open their newsrooms to many young people of our country. As an organization that has long been committed to media freedom and constitutional democracy, we are happy that Journalists in South Africa, ventured into a self introspection of their self regulation."
"The proposed eradication of waving of rights to further take a complaint against a newspaper to a court of law, is welcome and We call on the Press Ombudsman to consider opening offices in all nine provinces, even if it means working with Journalism schools so as to increase access to its services."
