mce_keep=”true”■Unflinching
Media24 weekly City Press “stands by every word” of href=”https://152.111.1.251/argief/berigte/citypress/2008/01/28/CP/1/smZumaAnger.html” target=_blank mce_href=”https://152.111.1.251/argief/berigte/citypress/2008/01/28/CP/1/smZumaAnger.html”an article that apparently led to SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande’s recent open letter to Media24 managers. In it he claimed the paper had “become a lobby group” that sought to divide the ANC and its allies.
Nzimande said boycotting the paper had been discussed.
City Press editor-in-chief Mathatha Tsedu said in a front-page editorial in response to the letter that the ANC did not “need a divider”, as it was divided, and that the paper would not “bow to the new gods”.
■Summoned
The Sunday Independent reported the ANC had told the SABC it “no longer wants it to act as a propaganda machine for the ruling party”. According to the paper SABC group chief executive Dali Mpofu was “summoned” to Luthuli House and told the ANC was concerned about the SABC taking sides when it came to President Thabo Mbeki and ANC president Jacob Zuma.
■Back
The controversial Koni Media Holdings made an offer of R5-billion for Avusa, Sunday Times/Business Times reported. According to the paper, which is part of Avusa, the company’s chief executive, Prakash Desai, said Avusa had received “correspondence” from Koni, but that it “does not constitute an offer for shares or assets”. Koni is owned by senior government officials including Titus Mafolo, an advisor to President Thabo Mbeki.
■Barred
Press photographers were barred from a Reserve Bank press conference on Thursday (31 January) for the second time, Sapa reported. Reserve Bank Governor Tito Mboweni previously said he did not want press photographers at a press conference because a Sake24 photographer had behaved “very badly” by taking pictures of him while he was wiping off sweat. Sake24 editor Charles Naudé said in Beeld/Sake24 the photographer was simply doing his job.
■Unhappy
SABC TV news reported some rugby unions were not happy with the way in which a recently announced broadcasting rights deal between SA Rugby and SuperSport had been concluded. The deal, expected to be in effect until 2015, is worth an estimated R700-million.
Last year SuperSport secured the Premier Soccer League (PSL) broadcasting rights for five seasons (including the current one) for more than R1.6-billion.
■Sued
Soccer referees Aldrin Ncobo and Luyanda Somi are claiming approximately R2.5-million from the SABC for alleged defamation after they were called “idiots” in a broadcast, according to !_LT_EMThe Citizen!_LT_/EM. SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago told TheMediaOnline the SABC would “obviously defend” the claim.
■Out
City Press reported e.tv withdrew its programmes from the first annual Stars of Mzansi Awards, a project started by the SABC. The awards are marketed as “the South African answer to the American Emmy Awards”.
■Stopped
The University of Pretoria stopped the distribution of its student Rag magazine (Joolblad), according to Beeld. The university said it had acted on legal advice. It appears a satirical article by one “Don Juan” led to the distribution of the 20 000 copies being halted. According to the article secret organisations, of which well-known personalities and professors are members, control the campus.
■Ruled
A high court ruling this past week “paves the way for a Constitutional Court challenge” of Section 12 of the Divorce Act, Sunday Times reported. The paper won the right to publish a story it had to pull in terms of a court order granted in April last year. The subject of the story, property mogul Claire Difford who was at the time being sued by her ex-husband for so-called paternity fraud, claimed the story had violated the Divorce Act. According to the paper, Acting Judge Nazeer Cassim found Section 12 of the act, which restricts the information on divorce proceedings the media are allowed to publish, to be unconstitutional.
■!_LT_STRONGRescued!_LT_/STRONG
A man from Cape Town spent R48,000 on SMSs hoping he would win a BMW 320i in a Vodacom promotion. According to Rapport Hendrikus Wessels failed to win. Rival service provider Virgin Mobile has since offered to pay his account. A spokesperson said Virgin would refer the matter to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa).
!_LT_EMSee related links below for other top stories of the past week!_LT_/EM.
