Media freedom as enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa should be enjoyed by all citizens, including media practitioners and consumers. There can be no real media freedom without diversity in ownership of the media. Especially for the poor, media freedom should be understood to include their participation, not merely as consumers, but also as producers of news and analysis.
There can be no real media freedom if commercial imperatives start to impact directly on the content on a day-to-day basis. Where the bottom line dictates content in the pervasive manner and editors are kept on a leash, the consequence is that advertisers, marketers and some politicians determine news and analysis. Stories are sometimes spiked at their behest.
Again, there can be no real media freedom under conditions of unique manifestations of censorship ... [Interjections.]