Monday 21 February 2011

MAT is still boiling under


The most talk about topic in 2010 was not the public servants strike which was suppose to hog the fast lane, but the Media Tribunal.

The ANC led government rightly feels that the media is focusing on what is wrong instead of building the young democracy (I am not sure for how long will it remain young) I am personally not against discussing any issue that will help shape our democracy especially our media. Our media is elitist by its nature as a result if you start an African language newspaper it is likely to drawn and die.

The ANC saw this, but instead of finding new ways to improve the mechanisms that exist they went for the new Animal called “MAT”
What makes this animal scary is that some of the ANC cadres are calling it a done deal why waste our time fighting it. At Wits University debate on media tribunal Joe Tlholoe said something very important. He said in 5-10 year time even ICASA will be useless, so this debate is already  “obsolete”.

It is the truth that cannot be disputed that our media is elitist and focuses on the elite. This has to change some how but cannot be achieved by putting gun on the media via tribunal. Jackson Mthembu said there would be no need to amend the Constitution to accommodate the MAT. As a Chapter five institution MAT somehow will need Constitutional amendment to function well, what was he thinking?

The media need to stop being defensive and listen out and take what is useful in the debate and try and implement it trough Ombudsman. Thanks goodness they are busy doing that. (Apparently the ANC only wished them luck) The ANC Government must stop using 2 thirds Majority to push down our throats what ever they think is right for our consumption.

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