Harsher restrictions on media which are critical of the government and attempts to counter the lack of credibility of the state information media were the main measures recommended by the Steyn Commission in its report in February.
CONTROL OF JOURNALISTS
Recommendations for restrictions on the media critical of apartheid are outlined in a draft bill to be called the Journalists Act. This proposes the establishment of a General Council of Journalists consisting of 12 members. Initially all of these would be nominated by the Minister of Internal Affairs. The Council would then draw up a roll of journalists, and would prescribe procedures for registration. It would establish methods of hearing cases against journalists, and would operate according to a code of conduct for journalists which is included in the Steyn report, and is based on the existing Newspaper Press Union's (NPU) code.
Policies would be enforced by the Council which would subsequently consist of three members nominated by the government, three by the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), three by newspapers and three by magazines. Each section of the media would then have subordinate controlling bodies.
Even greater restrictions on reporting are recommended. All journalists convicted of 'subversive activities' would be excluded from registration with retrospective effect. Registration would be enforced and a ban placed on using news from unregistered foreign or local agencies and networks.
Non-South African citizens would be prohibited from becoming editors.
Editors of all the major newspapers, journalists and unions (the Southern African Society of Journalists (SASJ), Media Workers Association of South Africa (MWASA) and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Britain), and also the owners' organisation, the NPU, have opposed the recommendations. Journalists have stated their opposition to registration and to the imposition of further restrictions on reporting.
STATE MEDIA
Results of an opinion poll conducted by the Commission show the SABC's lack of credibility as a source of information. The Commission recommends alterations which it believes would make the SABC appear more independent of the government, amongst them the inclusion of members of the Indian and Coloured groups on its Council. It also recommends the re-establishment of a Department of Information and 'moderate' black newspapers.
