SA govt plans media censorship

n the way to censorship. The Film and Publications Amendment Bill 2006 is currently being debated by the parliamentary subcommittee for Home Affairs before being submitted to the full parliament. “In an increasingly free and open media environment, protection of the youngest and most sensitive viewers and readers is vital, but the South African government – whose relations with the media have declined sharply in the space of few years – should not take advantage of a sense of concern to try to restrict press freedom,” Reporters Without Borders said.
“We therefore call on the parliamentary committee to reject this draft of the bill and we urge the government to organise proper consultation with the journalistic community and civil society with the aim of forging agreement on a legitimate version,” the organisation added. A spokesman said FXI was concerned about the current situation, in which the government was adopting an increasingly conservative attitude towards social problems and displaying growing hostility towards the news media. “The gains the South African media made with the end of apartheid in 1994 are starting to be eroded,” he said. – Own correspondent