Politics.za: Courts Stifle Press Freedom Again

Courts Stifle Press Freedom Again

Farrel — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 15:10:00 -0500

Once again the courts have suppressed a news story before publication. The Mail & Guardian were to publish some kind of expose’ on MTN CEO Maanda Manyatshe but he managed to get a court interdict preventing them from doing so.

The judge who approved of the interdict was Judge Mohamed Jajbhay and those of you whose minds can stretch back to the Danish cartoon dust up might recognise him as the same judge who prevented the Sunday Times from publishing those cartoons because they affronted someone’s (who that someone is we’re still not sure of) dignity and thereby setting our press freedom back a few years.

"Courts Stifle Press Freedom Again" by Farrel

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 10:39:51 -0500

John: Perhaps, but I don’t even know what the story was about. I assume it didn’t paint Manyatshe in the best light but that’s as much as I know. Either the story is accurate, in which case there’s no reason for an interdict, or it’s libelous in which case Manyatshe can sue their pants off.

"Courts Stifle Press Freedom Again" by Inyoka

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 07:39:58 -0500

Could this be a case of

"All freedoms are equal but some freedoms are more equal than others?"

"Courts Stifle Press Freedom Again" by John Bull

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 05:50:45 -0500

Ever considered there’s more to it than meets the eye? Ever considered the media can be used?

Ask yourself:

1. If M&G have a file where did they get it? 2. If the file contains damaging information (which one assumes it does otherwise it wouldn’t be an expose’) why didn’t we hear about it when charges were brought? 3. Who stands to gain from the expose? 4. Who are the main role players identified in the “expose’ ”? 5. What is their relationship to the source of the “leak”? 6. Could the source of the leak actually benefit in any way from releasing the information and how?

Ever heard of smoke and mirrors?