SECTOR 4 • • • • Institutions such as the SABC and the Media Diversity and Development Agency are still not sufficiently funded. Media conglomerates continue cost-cutting measures at the expense of the quality of journalism. The concentration of ownership in the print media industry is left untackled and measures to increase diversity in the media landscape are not being discussed. The media, print media in particular, still cater predominantly for the minority of urban and middle class citizens and neglect the majority of the poor. Activities needed over the next few years: • • • • • • • 70 Both freedom of expression activists and civil society as a whole should campaign to increase awareness among the general public that freedom of expression and the media is not a luxury, but a basic human right which underpins most other rights. The emerging broader cooperation of civil society groups seeking to defend and advance freedom of expression needs to be intensified and the different strategies should be coordinated with the ultimate goal of forming a broad coalition. A debate on ownership structures in the print media industry needs to be initiated, and ways to increase media diversity have to be explored. The organised sections of civil society that feel marginalised by the mainstream media need to fight for more space for their issues by, among others ways, professionalising their public relations work. The quality of journalism needs to be improved by, among many other things, more formalised strategic training interventions. Lobby groups such as the SOS campaign need to continue their efforts to push for the transformation of the SABC into a truly public broadcaster with adequate funding. The financial base for the Media Diversity and Development Agency needs to be broadened. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SOUTH AFRICA 2010