Launch of state newspaper: MDDA reacts

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Rhodes University media professor Jane Duncan told City Press that if the government were motivated by an attempt to ensure accessible newspapers, then it should rather commit more money to print media diversification through the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA).

Approached for comment, MDDA CEO Lumko Mtimde told Bizcommunity.com last night, Sunday, 27 March 2011: "Putting more money to the MDDA is welcomed. South Africans in all their walks of life - politicians, NGOs, CBOs, academics, among others - all agree that we need to resource the MDDA, strengthen it in order for it to make more impact in its pursuit for media development and diversity.

"MDDA needs more resources"

"Therefore, yes, I agree with Jane Duncan that MDDA needs more resources because the print media funding for MDDA is decreasing every year."

Nevertheless, Mtimde said any other new initiative, whether The New Age or any other, should be welcomed as it adds to the diversity objective that the whole country sets to achieve.

According to Mtimde, diversification of media must be understood in the context of the need for plurality of voices, views and opinions in line with the Windhoek Declaration, MDDA Act and many other universal commitments in the form of declarations.

"Voice of marginalised communities... not adequately covered"

"No one can contest the fact that existing print media views and opinions do not represent the totality of SA opinion. The voices of marginalised communities, including the poor, the workers and rural communities, are not adequately covered. The gender question also remains a problem or challenge in our media.

"Similarly, the work of change [reconstruction and development of our country], development programmes and challenges are not fully represented in our media. Therefore, any addition into the media should be welcome as it adds to diversity of views and opinion."

It will cost the government more than R1 million just to print one edition, City Press reported, adding that the state mouthpiece will have a print run of between 1.7 million and two million - the biggest circulating publication in the country.

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