[Submitted via press release]
MEDIA STATEMENT
SABC SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON ALLEGED BANNING OF MALEMA The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), has noted the several media reports on the alleged banning of Mr. Julius Malema on SABC platforms.
The corporation would like to set the record straight on this matter. It is untrue that the SABC News department has issued any instructions banning Julius Malema. What news management has appealed for, is for more responsible and in depth reporting on the issues.
In a meeting on the 3rd of September 2012, with the political news team, Mr. Jimi Matthews (Acting Group Executive: News) appealed to his staff for a more nuanced reporting on the Marikana and related stories. His appeal was for context. He pointed out a number of angles that the mainstream media were not covering, that were worth pursuing. He encouraged the team to engage intellectually so as to get a better grip on the issues. He warned against lazy journalism and running with the herd.
Mr. Matthews stated, “I am very disappointed with the turn of events. Instead of debate, certain members of my staff ran off to other media houses claiming that I had banned Malema from the airwaves. Nothing can be further from the truth. I asked for responsible journalism and intellectual engagement”.
The SABC hopes that this puts the matter to rest and reiterates that Mr. Malema has not been banned.
ENDS