Reporting the Protection of Information Bill

The current government in South Africa does not follow the principles of the national Constitution regarding press freedom. In November 2011 the parliament demonstrated their lack of regard for the Constitution by passing the Protection of Information Bill (POI). The POI was introduced by the government in 2008 and is mainly meant to protect the publication of state information. This study analyses how the media are reacting to this bill. Several newspapers in South Africa have been accused of writing in favour of the African National Congress (ANC), the ruling party. It is interesting to find out how two newspapers – The Mail & Guardian which is well known for being neutral, critical and holding a sceptic outlook on the ANC, and the Sowetan, known for writing in favour of the ANC – write about the POI, since it influences their work as journalists themselves. With a thorough content analysis of newspaper articles about the POI in the Mail & Guardian and the Sowetan, this study filters through the differences and describes the meaning and consequences of these differences. The differences between both newspapers correspond partly with the theoretical ideas. In general, the Sowetan is less critical in its articles about the POI, and especially about the ANC. The main differences can be found in the use of sources and the way the analysis has been conducted. The Mail & Guardian writes more critically about the ANCs’ plans of implementing the POI. It uses different kind of sources and expert opinions more than the Sowetan, to demonstrate an unbiased and clear stance on what the POI is and their stance on the issue. It is difficult to discuss what the results in the Mail & Guardian and the Sowetan mean for the public and what kind of influence they have, because there is a difference between both newspapers. The Mail & Guardian is spread throughout South Africa and is focussed on a broader public. The Sowetan is mainly read in Soweto, a township in the area of Johannesburg. This is an area of mainly native African people; it is also a township where a well-known ANC member grew up, former president Nelson Mandela. Furthermore, natives fill the main functions of the ANC and the majority of its members are native Africans. Thus the connection between the ANC and the Sowetan is closer. There is no significant proof that the Sowetan is under pressure of the ANC, or that this newspaper writes in favour of this party freely. It cannot be proved that the Sowetan is under pressure of the ANC or that this newspaper writes in favour of this party freely. However this study gives an indication that press freedom, due to the POI implementation, is under pressure.