Representatives of news and human rights organizations in South Africa have spoken out in defense of independent journalism and for accountability of Big Techs.
Since March 4, public hearings have continued in South Africa as part of the Competition Commission's Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry. Thursday's hearing discussed the impact of large digital companies on the state of journalism in the country.
Anton Harber, representing the Campaign for Free Expression, said good journalism and active media have a tangible impact on the quality of people's lives. The decline of trustworthy journalism affects the governance quality and contributes to corruption, he emphasized.
Harber said individual businesses rely on the flow of news and information for decision-making. He said some business leaders have recognised this and have supported elements of news media in recent years.
“Some businesses moved in to support specialist units in our news ecosystem and that support has been very important in keeping some of the work going, particularly investigative journalism.”
Harber added that tech platforms can — and some do — play an important role but they can also do tremendous harm if left to their own devices without oversight, accountability or regulation.
The discussion focused on financial compensation for news media from digital platforms. Independent journalism is impossible without financial security, said a representative of the Campaign for Free Expression.
“(...) Without financial security, an outlet has to be more careful, take fewer risks, be cautious of who they criticise, worry about legal action or the withdrawal of advertising,”
he said.
The hearing was also addressed by Arena Holdings representatives who raised the issue of media spending on content in the absence of investment.
“We cannot allow big companies to dictate the terms of our profession. We cannot stand by as our voices are silenced and our stories are commodified. We must reclaim journalism from the clutches of big tech and restore it to its rightful place as the cornerstone of our democracy,”
a representative of Arena Holdings said.
Meta (Facebook owner, banned and designated as extremist in Russia) is expected to participate on March 27. Google, which appeared to be the main focus of criticism by many local publishers, participated on Tuesday.
Source: Times Live
