The ANC welcomes the revised terms of reference of the Press Freedom Commission, PFC. We believe that the scope of work outlined in the revised terms of reference will go a long way in improving press governance and accountability, particularly in the print media.
The PFC's revised terms of reference will, among others, include the conducting of research with regard to the regulation of the print media, locally and globally. The revised framework will also research self- regulation, coregulation and independent regulation, as well as state regulation.
Within the above-mentioned accountability mechanisms, we are pleased that the Press Freedom Commission will come up with the best accountability mechanism or framework suitable for our country and in conformity with our progressive Constitution.
As the ANC, we still believe in the need for an appeals accountability mechanism in the event of ordinary South Africans being unhappy with the outcomes of the press self-regulatory accountability mechanism. We believe that the media appeals accountability mechanism should provide recourse in the event that South Africans are not happy with the outcomes of the self- regulatory mechanism. Such media appeals accountability should not be a prepublished censorship, but it should conform to our constitutional principles and should not be beholden to the media, the state and commercial interests.
We therefore believe that the self-regulatory system or framework is able to coexist with and be complemented by the appeals accountability mechanism. [Applause.]