Section 4: The media practice high levels of professional standards. 4.1 The media follow voluntary codes of professional standards which are enforced by self-regulatory bodies. ANALYSIS: Efforts for the formation of a strong media force are frustrated by lack of political will and opportunism. At a gentlemen’s level, agreements never worked. When MoAfrika was faced with a long list of court cases and were advised by other practitioners to be professional, they declared that they follow their own code. When Mohahlaula was confronted about the same, they responded that they were prepared to go to court for political ends. Media houses have their own codes. Newsrooms have their own standards and generally strive for accuracy and fairness. Recklessness is rare, and would not go unnoticed. Regulation exists in an informal sense. There is no national code. The concern is whether it will be accepted if MISA drafts it. The LCN has a code of conduct for members, but it is not effective since more than 60% of its members don’t comply. Score – 1,1,1,1,1,1,2,1 = 1.1 4.2 The standard of reporting follows the basic principles of accuracy and fairness. ANALYSIS: The media is still very partisan, most still go by traditional lines where church papers were aligned to parties. Moeletsi – Catholic Church – BNP, Leselinyana – Evangelical Church – BCP. Now that the LCD is in power, Moeletsi will be negative to government, and lack of objectivity. From 1966 to 1986 the ruling party was aligned to the Roman Catholic Church and Leselinyana was critical. Apart from political party papers, accuracy and fairness are still practiced. Post 1998 there was improvement in accuracy, but in the run up to and following the 2007 elections positions have shifted. Media managers said 99% of reporters shifted their papers, and they couldn’t get rid of all of them at the same time. Score – 2,2,2,3,2,3,1,2 = 2.1 So This Is Democracy? 2008 -170- Media Institute of Southern Africa