2007 CBA Regional Conference - Kenya
What Next for Media Freedom: Tackling Corruption
Arlindo Lopes, Secretary General, Southern African Broadcasting Association
In 2001, heads of state of the Southern African Development Community countries signed the SADC Protocol on Culture, Information and Sport. In section 17 (a) member states commit themselves to the “promotion, establishment and growth of independent media, as well as free flow of information.” Section 8 (4) says: “Member States agree to create a political and economic environment conducive to the growth of pluralist media.”
In section 20 the Protocol enjoins member states to “take necessary measures to ensure the freedom and independence of the media,” and defines “media independence” as “editorial independence, whereby editorial Policy and decisions are made by the media without interference.”
Freedom of expression is therefore a fundamental human right guaranteed by the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
On the other hand, corruption has become an issue of major political
and economic significance in recent years, and the necessity to
take measures against it has become evident. General consensus is
that corruption jeopardizes the rule of law; it undermines citizen’s
confidence in democratic and accountable government; it can threaten
political stability. Corruption also has a debilitating impact on
institutions as well as on ethical values and on criminal justice
systems; it undermines economic growth and increases it difficulties
to attain satisfactory levels of sustainable human development.
There is a wide range of definitions of a corrupt act, and many
different expressions of corruption, which range from routine “tips”
and “speed money” to complicated schemes of favors between
businessmen and civil servants.
The SADC Protocol against Corruption (2001), states that corruption
"includes bribery or any other behavior in relation to persons entrusted with responsibilities in the public and private sectors which violates their duties as public officials, private employees, independent agents or other relationships of that kind and aimed at obtaining undue advantage of any kind for themselves or others."
Media Freedom vs Corruption
There is consensus that corruption is a global phenomenon which needs to be seriously tackled through different ways. Our immediate concern is that in recent democracies, governments fear that corruption jeopardizes the legitimacy of the political and economic reforms and thus further threaten the development and deepening of democracy. The political, economic and social consequences of corruption impact upon government’s responsibility to deliver services to the public.
The Southern African region has already illustrated its political will to address such corruption by adopting and signing the SADC Protocol well before the UN and the African Union approved their own instruments. The difficult task of implementing these legal documents now constitutes a major challenge to media, amongst others.
It is also a general consensus that media have an essential role
to play if the fight against corruption is to succeed. Without free
and independent media, politicians will abuse their power for private
gains, for their attitudes will not be exposed to the public.
Reporting on corruption is however a very risky task, particularly
in countries where freedom of the press is still in its infancy.
As we speak, dozens of our colleagues are in prisons on the continent
for exposing or investigating corruption in their respective countries.
In my own country, Mozambique, there is a perception that corruption
has reached high levels. In recent years, national media have denounced
signs of corruption in many spheres of the State, as well as the
lack of, or extremely poor, institutional responses to instances
of corruption. There is now a rapidly growing consensus among the
media, government, civil society and donors for action against corruption
in the country. The current president, Armando Guebuza, has publicly
declared the fight against corruption one of the priorities of his
government as have some SADC compatriots.
Challenges on Reporting on Corruption
I would like to suggest that media freedom is not enough to fight corruption. While, indeed, media freedom is a necessary condition, it is not in itself sufficient. Media practitioners who want to involve themselves in this endeavor need to adhere to professional and ethical values. Comprehensive and detailed investigation of the cases being interrogated by media is essential. The fight against corruption needs journalists who have the freedom, skills and resources to investigate rumors and uncover evidence of corruption. This is particularly important, for a media outlet that persistently runs baseless stories, ends up losing credibility and jeopardizes its role as the watchdog of public interest.
Journalists are vulnerable to criticism and may be prosecuted if
they make false accusations against fellow citizens. A major challenge
is to write stories that are credible, truthful, and reliable. Denunciation
based upon rumor, allegation and hearsay is often a temptation;
working hard to uncover wrongdoings is another matter completely.
Poor research, hearsay and sensationalism often jeopardize the role
of good practices in journalism. The rush to conclusion, the competition
for audiences and the rush to sell newspapers tend to compromise
the use of essential journalistic tools in the fight against corruption.
Investigative journalism is the most favorable genre to uncover bad practices in society. Publication of material arising out of investigative practice facilitates a sharp growth of popularity of a news medium and enhances more broadly the role of media in society.
But media freedom can also be evaluated through the media practitioners’ capacity to be watchdogs over other spheres of society, other than the politicians, including their own. There are journalists who are afraid to investigate stories of corruption within their own media organizations. It is also common for reporters being paid bribes to run favorable stories.
There is, of course, the more substantive issue of self-censorship in media houses. An issue I would like to raise here, but perhaps leave to you to deliberate as an issue of corruption, particularly in countries where the state wields a hand in the media content.
The Way Forward
In conclusion, the point I want to underscore is that the following pre-requisites need to be considered for the media to effectively tackle corruption:
- Access to information: A fundamental indicator of state integrity. Without access to information democratic institutions cannot work properly, and citizens are deprived of their capacity to exercise their rights.
- Media Freedom: for the media to be able to play its fundamental role as society’s watchdog against corruption;
- Investigative reporting, meaning “a comprehensive and detailed
investigation of some poorly studied, closed or carefully guarded
subject, during which one has to overcome the resistance of some
bodies that are not willing to provide information of interest”
.
- Respect for ethical and deontological principles. Issues such
as the respect for the sources of information and the right of anonymity
must be observed
- Increase the quality and credibility of the media which comes
through training and respect for professional ethics and standards
- Cooperation: Journalists should exchange views and cooperate among
themselves, particularly in regard to trans-border crimes
- Political, legal and social support to investigative journalists.
- Investigative journalists should be protected while fulfilling
their professional tasks, especially when covering controversial
topics such as corruption in society.
- Resources: investigative journalists need moral, financial and
material support from their editors and peers
- Make effective the laws and agreements already in place
- Parliaments should also assist in the necessary public debate
on corruption
- Strengthen existing mechanisms, such as broadcast complaints fora and press ombudsmen offices, to protect both media and public from corruption