The DUT Journalism Programme commemorated World Press Freedom Day with a panel discussion on Media Freedom in South Africa.

Facilitated by Faculty of Arts Dean, Dr Kenneth Netshiombo, the discussion was aligned to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) theme: New Voices: Media Freedom Helping to Transform Societies.

Speakers included Ruth Teer-Tomaseli; the UNESCO Communication Chair at UKZN. She made reference to Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that the establishment, maintenance and fostering of an independent, pluralistic and free press is essential to the development and maintenance of democracy in a nation, and for economic development. She said press freedom is “an issue in the making, not anywhere close to being achieved.”

Awakening journalism students to their right to know, she said the more informed the public is, the more it are empowered.

Fear of intimidation, harassment, arrest and even death threats take away this power; causing self censorship. This, said DUT Journalism Programme Coordinator Dr Rene Smith, “is the single greatest threat to media freedom”. She urged journalists not to be afraid to stand up for the truth, saying they should know their rights. Dr Smith called for the students to use their new voices to help transform society and make media freedom a human right.

Dr Smith’s call was also echoed by Right2Know National Coordinator Murray Hunter who praised the work of the Press Freedom Commission which, in its recommendations, abandoned the idea of statutory regulation of the media.

“Media are a public good; a constitutional right that is the key to the realisation and defence of other rights” he said.

–Nosipho S Mngoma