State of the media in Southern Africa - 2003 should be restricted to airtime slots controlled by the news and current affairs division. SABC defended the memo saying that only its journalists, rather than other programming staff, were in a professional position to provide balance and to ask informed questions of politicians. Near year-end, concerns were expressed when a predominantly ANC-aligned SABC Board was appointed by the President on recommendation of parliament. Other commentators said that political affiliations did not necessarily mean individuals would not act independently on the Board. Journalism received sharp jolts during the year as a result of grossly unprofessional conduct. Freelance columnist Darryl Bristow-Bovey and Elle magazine editor Cynthia Vongai were each exposed as plagiarists. Sunday World reporter Simon Nare allegedly fabricated a frontpage story. City Press editor, Vusi Mona, resigned his job after his company investigated his conflict of interests arising from co-ownership of a public relations company. Subsequently, at the Hefer Commission, Mona admitted to being “reckless” in his prior publication of spy allegations about the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP). He further admitted to giving incorrect answers during evidence, concerning amongst other things, the publication of minutes of an off-the-record briefing by the NDPP. Mona’s breaking of the cardinal principle of confidentiality in regard to the briefing provoked debate on such briefings. The whole spy story brought sharply to the fore the issue of journalists, wittingly or unwittingly, playing a part in broader political struggles that compromise their independence. The issue of management and staff expectations of editors also came under the spotlight with the firing of Sunday Times editor Mathatha Tsedu after his attempted “Africanisation” of the KwaZulu-Natal edition lost mid-market Indian readers and a group of staffers rebelled against his leadership. Media not only covered many stories during 2003, it was frequently part of them. While government criticisms and threats hovered in the background alongside dialogue and discussion, the most dramatic problems and in particular the lack of diversity and ethics, seemed to be internal to the media itself. The legacy of the year is likely to be heightened awareness of the democratic role and professional responsibilities of journalists. So This Is Democracy? 2003 74 Media Institute of Southern Africa