Media meets government over Act

By Nadia Samie
1 September 2006

Media representatives and government officials met in Cape Town yesterday to discuss amendments to the Films and Publications Act.

Media representatives, made up of SANEF, the Freedom of Expression Institute and the Print Media SA board members, say that the proposed changes to the Act , which was meant to fight child pornography, could adversely affect media freedom by introducing pre-publication censorship of journalists. iafrica.com reports that this in turn contradicts the constitution.

After the meeting, both sides made a statement in which they said they welcomed the assurance the public participation would be observed through the parliamentary committee process one the bill is tabled.

In a written statement handed over at the meeting, the media representatives said that the amendments will have a chilling effect on journalists gathering and conveying news, as they will fear pre-publication censorship.