Editorial Independence EI

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Editorial Independence (EI) Public
Accountability (PA)in Public Broadcasting
Service Editorial Policies at SABCGuy Berger
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Covering

• Fundamental tension of PBS
• Analysing EI and PA
• SABC editorial policy process
• Some hitches
• Proof of pudding.

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1. Tensions

• PBS is pulled in two directions
• Need to be accountable to the public,
• Imperative to be editorially independent.

PA implies control
IE points to autonomy

• EI marks out public broadcasting from
  government-controlled broadcasting.
• PA the diffs from private broadcasting
• PBS has to contain this paradox

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2. Threats outcomes

• Governments want to see more accountability
  UK (BBC) and SA
• Challenge is to preserve EI
• SABC case define what is meant by EI, and how to
  ensure internal PA.
• Editorial Policies and Processes.
• EI what of PBS PA how
• Note the how can undermine the what.

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3. Editorial Independence

• Autonomy from
• Owners and managers
• Profit imperatives (even if not market)
• Even, to an extent, from Editors
• Especially from sources
• BUT EI ? licence!
• EI ? independence from j. ethics stds.
• EI ? from public service (language, etc)

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4. Public Accountability

• Laws, charters therefore Courts
• representative public board
• independent regulator
• complaints systems with teeth
• advisory boards public meetings
• listener/viewer groups
• What about internal systems?

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5. SA background

• Was govt tool under apartheid, now PBS
• Pre 2002
• SABC legally enjoys EI, legislated Charter says
• - freedom of expression journalistic,
  creative programming independence
• - SABC is not the mouthpiece of the
  government
• SABC board appointed by Parliament
• Board accounts to Regulator Parliament
• Yet, SAfns felt it is not enough!

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6. SA experience

• 2002SABC accused of doing its own thing
• Govt ?content causing currency collapse?
• Civil soc ?commercialised lacking languages?.
• Minister declares
• Editorial Policies needed, she will decide.
• After outcry, incl by SABC, parliament rules
• Policies to be developed via public process
• Regulator to approve hold SABC to account.

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7. Draft policy process 03

• Policies give substance to EI through guidelines
  on programming, news, language, education,
  universal service and access, local content, and
  religion.
• i.e. They spell out public service journ
  ethics.
• Process Upward referral to ensure internal
  accountability
• Consultation Distributed, publicised, meetings.
• 920 inputs tho unclear how processed.

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8. Final system April 04

• Policy Good words, but interpretation is key
• hence qtn of accountability, i.e. control, is nb.
  
• Process upward referral
• Mandatory select issues (eg. hidden camera)
• Voluntary content that is controversial, or
  likely to have an extraordinary impact.
• Claim "not intended to shift editorial-decision
  making upwards"
• Improved from draft version, but could still
  compromise EI and stifle swift reaction.

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9. Power/responsibility who has final say?

• Policies make CEO the Editor-in-chief.
• Claim ? good for BBC good for us ?.
• BUT
• BBC DG (civil servant), not CEO (businessman)
• a CEO has to make money!
• Possible conflict of interests in one individual
• chasing elite audiences to attract adverts
• allowing product placement
• avoiding upsets of specific advertisers

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10. Prognosis

• SABC system could fend off political business
  control, defend space of PBS.
• Dangers
• Legitimated showpiece (white elephant),
• Selective/patchy implementation
• Ignorance among staff and public
• Poor/absent monitoring review (uneven
  provisions in the policy document)
• Development now detailed license conditions

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11. Conclusion

• EI and PA inherent tension
• Editorial policies processes can help
  to define a balance.
• SABC has hitches, but at least has a system that
  is explicit, not arbitrary.
• Ideally, should constitute rule of law for all.
• Board should require staff know respect it.
• Success hangs on external accountability - esp by
  those in whose name PBS operates.

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The policies will succeed if they are kept alive
in public memory, So people need to be
continuously refreshed on what they can expect
from their public broadcaster.Thank you
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