SABC starts Africa channel amid furore

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s public broadcaster is launching an international news channel to compete with CNN and the BBC, joining the growing ranks of news outlets seeking to challenge media stereotypes about Africa.

But media watchdogs say the South African Broadcasting Corp should focus on bolstering editorial independence at home after charges of political meddling harmed its credibility and revived memories of its days as a propaganda machine for apartheid. SABC International, which has seven bureaux in Africa, Europe and the United States, wants to provide more positive coverage from Africa to counter the tales of poverty and woe that dominate western news about the continent.”We are establishing bureaux with our own correspondents, reporting on the spot, on the scene in a more balanced way,” SABC’s head of news Snuki Zikalala told SABC radio on Friday as the international channel was officially launched.The channel will compete with established western broadcasters such as CNN and BBC, as well as newly launched CNBC Africa and Al Jazeera’s English channel, which has also pledged to provide broader, more positive coverage of Africa.But the launch comes as SABC, once the mouthpiece of the apartheid government, faces criticism about its editorial independence after it allegedly banned programmes and commentators critical of the ANC government.Some media commentators say SABC International risks promoting pro-government bias on a continent already struggling with limited media freedom.”In principle it’s important to have home-grown news organisations telling the African story …but Rome is burning at the SABC and they are expanding their empire at a time when they have serious editorial problems,” Jane Duncan, head of South Africa’s Freedom of Expression Institute, told Reuters.The SABC has ignited controversy by dropping documentaries about Mbeki, and several high-profile journalists quit after the broadcaster allegedly blacklisted political commentators critical of the president.The SABC has denied such a blacklist exists and took out a full-page advertisements in Sunday newspapers last year to counter charges of government interference in editorial operations.The broadcaster says it wants to highlight stories of growth and progress in Africa and to promote the continent’s home-grown economic recovery programme, Nepad.But many commentators say the SABC is too soft on African leaders, particularly South Africa’s own, and say it lacks the critical edge of independent competitor eTV.”There is a growing concern about editorial integrity at SABC and it risks exporting that on to the African continent,” said Duncan.SABC International has foreign bureaux in Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Washington, Brussels, New York, Senegal and Nigeria.It is planning to open newsrooms in Jamaica, China, Brazil and Zimbabwe.Nampa-ReutersSABC International, which has seven bureaux in Africa, Europe and the United States, wants to provide more positive coverage from Africa to counter the tales of poverty and woe that dominate western news about the continent.”We are establishing bureaux with our own correspondents, reporting on the spot, on the scene in a more balanced way,” SABC’s head of news Snuki Zikalala told SABC radio on Friday as the international channel was officially launched.The channel will compete with established western broadcasters such as CNN and BBC, as well as newly launched CNBC Africa and Al Jazeera’s English channel, which has also pledged to provide broader, more positive coverage of Africa.But the launch comes as SABC, once the mouthpiece of the apartheid government, faces criticism about its editorial independence after it allegedly banned programmes and commentators critical of the ANC government.Some media commentators say SABC International risks promoting pro-government bias on a continent already struggling with limited media freedom.”In principle it’s important to have home-grown news organisations telling the African story …but Rome is burning at the SABC and they are expanding their empire at a time when they have serious editorial problems,” Jane Duncan, head of South Africa’s Freedom of Expression Institute, told Reuters.The SABC has ignited controversy by dropping documentaries about Mbeki, and several high-profile journalists quit after the broadcaster allegedly blacklisted political commentators critical of the president.The SABC has denied such a blacklist exists and took out a full-page advertisements in Sunday newspapers last year to counter charges of government interference in editorial operations.The broadcaster says it wants to highlight stories of growth and progress in Africa and to promote the continent’s home-grown economic recovery programme, Nepad.But many commentators say the SABC is too soft on African leaders, particularly South Africa’s own, and say it lacks the critical edge of independent competitor eTV.”There is a growing concern about editorial integrity at SABC and it risks exporting that on to the African continent,” said Duncan.SABC International has foreign bureaux in Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Washington, Brussels, New York, Senegal and Nigeria.It is planning to open newsrooms in Jamaica, China, Brazil and Zimbabwe.Nampa-Reuters