World Press Freedom Day: journalists mourn and ponder

Paris-based Reporters Sans Reporters (RSF) reports that 18 journalists have been killed so far this year, highlighting the verve of repressive governments, individuals and armed groups keen to stop independent media from publishing the ‘other side of the truth'.

Many journalists are currently languishing in jail - some of them kept in undisclosed locations, branded ‘enemies of the state' and denied any form of assistance.

Joel Simon, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) executive director, was quoted as saying: "We counted 125 journalists in jail around the world. At least five other journalists are in jail in Iran and perhaps more. There's much less attention on those cases."

24 jail cases in nine countries

Africa accounts for 24 jail cases in nine countries, according to the CPJ's annual census citing Burundi (1), Cameroon (2), Democratic Republic of Congo (2), Egypt (1), Eritrea (13), Ethiopia (2), Gambia (1), Cote d'Ivoire (1) and Senegal (1). As expected, China (28) and Cuba (21), countries opposing any form of freedom of expression, topped this list.

Raymond Louw, Africa representative of the World Press Freedom Committee and Southern Africa Report editor and publisher, told Bizcommunity.com: “The figures for those injured are never given but they form part of the casualty toll of journalists trying to tell the world what is going on.

“There are also frequent instances of journalists being assaulted or tortured and of their publications or broadcasting stations being closed down, mostly because they have displeased the authorities by recording unpalatable news.”

Both US president Barack Obama and secretary of state Hillary Clinton last week reiterated the importance of free press and paid tributes to silenced journalists who strove to tell the truth.

Sounded the alarm

“Those who seek to abuse power and spread corruption view media freedom as a threat, instead of supporting an open press they attempt to control or silence independent voices,” Clinton was quoted as saying, while Obama sounded the alarm about the growing number of journalists silenced by death or jail as they attempt to bring daily news.

Furthermore, the number of freelancers and bloggers arrested continues to increase as the nature of gathering news takes a speedy and digital turn. RSF reports that 66 cyberdissidents are imprisoned, while CPJ says 45 freelancers were arrested in 2008 and 34 in 2007.

"That's the nature of how news is being gathered now," Simon told the CPJ website. “Such journalists tend to be vulnerable because they typically cannot count on the backing or resources of large news organisations.”

Louw pointed out that this year's World Press Freedom day has been overshadowed by the global financial crisis, the rise of the competitive influences of the Internet and the massive downturn in advertising - factors he said have weakened mainly print publications and caused a number, among them well-known papers with long histories, to collapse or to reduce or stop actual publication.

“With manpower depleted and financial resources under attack, the media has been weakened and has become more vulnerable with the result that those seeking to conduct affairs in secrecy with corruption as their motive are likely to be more active.”

Well under threat

Analysts believe that a number of alarming factors occurred in the past year demonstrate that South Africa's press freedom is well under threat. Louw cited the ruling ANC's proposal of a Media Appeals Tribunal (MAT), the arrest of journalists covering crime scenes, the ejection of reporters from magistrate's courts to prevent coverage and newly-elected president Jacob Zuma's barrage of R12-million libel actions against print media.