Diversity and transformation of print media

Media freedom and diversity working groupRight 2 Know Campaign

Presentation for Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications Indaba22-23 September 2011

Process point

Constitution puts an obligation on the state to facilitate public participation

Notice given for Indaba too short to facilitate public participation

Invitation to media organisations – how inclusive?

Need inclusive process

Right to Know campaign vision

“ We seek a country and a world where we all have the right to know – that is to be free to access and to share information. This right is fundamental to any democracy that is open, accountable, participatory and responsive; able to deliver the social, economic and environmental justice we need. On this foundation a society and an international community can be built in which we all live free from want, in equality and in dignity”.

Defining media transformation

“Successful transformation will be achieved when the media reflects in its ownership, staffing and product, the society within which it operates, not only in terms of race, but also socio-economic status, gender, religion, sexual orientation, region, language, etc. This is only possible if access is opened – again in ownership, staffing and product – not only to the emerging black elite, but also to grassroots communities of all colours” – Ron Krabill and Mashilo Boloka, 2000

Newspaper concentration

Newspaper circulation by owner (MDDA, 2009)Avusa Caxton Independe

ntMedia 24 Other

Total 133,702,360

135,913,757

204,151,961

376,503,416

98,685,251

Percentage of circulation

14% 14% 21% 39% 12%

Dangers of media concentration

Reduction in the plurality of media outlets and diversity of opinion

Homogenisation of media content Prioritisation of views of elites Dominance of commercial interest over the

public interest

How to measure excessively high levels of concentration?

Number of voices test Diversity points system One groups owns more than 25% of market, OR Market with fewer than 4 voices with a market

share of 20% each France – legislation prevents ownership of more

than 30% of circulation Need to debate these options

B-BBEE compliance

Performance is patchy – good in some areas, weak in others

Ownership – 2 of four big groups (Avusa, Media24, Caxton and Independent Newspapers) 100% white owned

All groups scored extremely well on enterprise development and socio-economic development

Performance on employment equity patchy Management and control scores relatively

strong

Editorial content transformation (1)

B-BBEE scorecards generic measurement tools – cannot measure content transformation

Reinvestment in investigative journalism – capacity – renewed commitment to quality content. These spaces must be recognised and preserved, BUT

Centralisation of newsrooms to reduce costs Retrenchment of staff

Editorial content transformation (2)

Repurposing of content for multiple platforms Increasing reliance on news agency copy Top heavy newsroom structures Migration of papers towards upper LSM's

Trends impacting on viewpoint diversity

State of community and small commercial print (1)

Renewed energy in sector – re-emergence of grassroots papers, BUT

Dark cloud hangs over sector Association for Independent Publishers – 51%

drop in membership between 2008-2010 (AIP 2010).

Shrinking advertising revenues and rising production costs

State of community and small commercial print (2)

Inability to compete with big 4, especially Caxton and Media 24

Vertical and horizontal integration gives them competitive advantage, raises barriers to entry for smaller papers

Competition authorities should be correct forum to handle these problems, BUT...

Competition law and media diversity – discussion points (1)

Difficult for small media to stay the course during complaints

Costly – groups are generally outlawyered Competition law applies economic criteria –

social concerns? Competition law intervenes when abuses of

dominance occur – but isn't dominance per se a problem?

Media have greater need than other sectors for plurality

Competition law and media diversity – discussion points (2)

Key question for legislators – how should media ownership be structured to distribute speech opportunities more fairly?

How should communicative power be redistributed to further a democratic society

Rely on competition law or develop media specific anti-concentration law?

Diversity measurement tool

Competition law and media diversity – discussion points (2)

Key question for legislators – how should media ownership be structured to distribute speech opportunities more fairly?

How should communicative power be redistributed to further a democratic society

Rely on competition law or develop media specific anti-concentration law?

Diversity measurement tool

Discussion points emerging from ANC media policy

ANC policy on paper promotes diversity Establishment of MDDA, BUT MDDA remains underfunded Problem of policy focussing on subsidy as the main

method of achieving diversity, while leaving basic market structure intact

Transformation must be broader than B-BBEE Few spaces for noncommercia media and voices of

working class, unemployed, women, etc. New thinking and action needed on media diversity