Media is not a social animal - Mathatha Tsedu

Launched in honour of its late founder - a former journalist of The Star and a chief executive of Print Media SA - by Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) Southern Africa, the Saldanha Fund will solicit donations from the general public, and put these funds towards issues of social justice - issues that were close to Saldanha's heart, but which critics of the media say are now ‘out of reach' of newsrooms.

Daunting challenge

But City Press editor-in-chief Mathatha Tsedu said that the media is facing a daunting challenge of balancing between producing news that make profits, and at the same time catering for what journalism is all about: pleading on behalf of the voiceless.

“We have to accept that today's media is big business, whose aim is to make profits,” Tsedu said.

“It is about finding the niche in the market and the market in the niche and those who think that the media is a social animal must debunk.”

Many observers believe that South African newsrooms' obsession with sensational reports is only meant to enrich media owners. As a result, they add, this has put them in collision course with the Union Buildings and the Chief Albert Luthuli House, which are firmly convinced that the media is being used by ‘some third forces' to discredit and undermine the democratically-elected Government.

However, Tsedu said that sometimes the Government's reaction and fuss over some stories are over-exaggerated, and are nothing but an attack on press freedom.

“Having lived under a brutal and oppressed regime, today's media is on guard 24/7. Every time a journalist writes a piece and President Mbeki responds by writing, I see it as an attack on freedom of speech.

“It is a pity that criticism of government in Africa is always seen as a symbol of disloyalty.”

Gender issues

Furthermore, feminists and women's rights activist continue to lambast SA media for what they call a ‘sexist' and ‘discriminatory' stance in handling gender issues.

Kubi Rama, a gender activist and former deputy director and network manager of Gender Links, said: “While we recognise the media as a powerful institution for its contribution in social development, we urge journalists to enjoy their freedom of expression in a more responsible way.

“We live in shocking times and headlines such as ‘Why Men Enjoy Strip Clubs' is a reminder that some media reports are done in an unconscious, unthinking and marginalising way.

“Let's not ignore women when we talk about social justice and human rights,” Rama said.

Prof Adam Habib, University of Johannesburg deputy vice-chancellor, paid a moving tribute to Boksburg, East Rand-born Saldanha for ‘building institutions and processes that ultimately strengthened democracy and social development'.

The Eugene Saldanha Memorial Fund will consider support for organisations carrying out public benefit activities, as defined in the Ninth Schedule of the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962.

Funds will not be considered for individuals, religious or political bodies or bursaries.

Allan Wentzel, CAF Southern Africa chairman, said its organisation will provide administrative services to the trust, which is managed as an internal fund within CAF and therefore exempted from tax.

For more information about the trust, contact Yvonne Morgan on +27 (0)11 726 1148 or email .