NUM attributes SABC television‘s declining viewership to factional coverage

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) notes the audience ratings released by the South African Advertising Research Foundation which indicates that E-TV has surpassed the SABC news in terms of viewership. The NUM is not surprised by these developments as the SABC particularly its television component has long ceased to be a public broadcaster and turned itself into a self-promotion propaganda instrument for certain factions (see Sunday Times report).

The National Union of Mineworkers congratulates E-TV, a private broadcaster which almost adequately fulfils the mandate of a public broadcaster for refusing to be drawn into narrow factionalist coverage.

"We need serious changes at SABC television and we call upon the newly appointed CEO to ensure that SABC television fulfils its public broadcasting mandate" says Frans Baleni, the NUM General Secretary.

The NUM warns the news honchos at the SABC television and all those responsible for the factional coverage that political battles would be won through the ballot not through the airwaves. The NUM calls on the CEO to take serious action against the mediapreneurs within its ranks whose presence is to promote factions with the hope of obtaining tenders in the future.

The NUM further congratulates the million viewers or so who have deserted the factionalist organisation and thus refusing to be fed propaganda in the name of news.

The National Union of Mineworkers appeals to the South African public to join hands with it and other interested parties to shake the core of factionalism as promoted by the so-called public broadcaster.

The NUM is aware that in the midst of factionalism promoted by the honchos of news, there are many hard-working journalists who continue to do their best even in the wake of adversity.

Statement issued by Lesiba Seshoka, NUM national spokesman, March 18 2012

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