Media Freedom News South Africa

Manyi puts cartel before the horse

NEWSWATCH: SANEF has blamed our man jolly Jimmy Manyi for the deteriorating relations between the media and the state after the man himself had accused SANEF of displaying "cartel-like tendencies" reports News24. Meanwhile, the SABC has been ordered to broadcast a BCCSA ruling in favour of Mail & Guardian journalist Sam Sole by 28 June, reports IOL and Business Day reports on some advice Anton Harber has for Jolly Jim, and the Press Club has done a bit of clubbing itself.

For more:


  • News24: Media points finger firmly at Manyi... Instead of trying to mend fences between himself and the media, it seems our man Manyi seems more intent on upping the "anti" when he accused Sanef of showing "cartel-like tendencies".

    Mondli Makhanya said yesterday that since Manyi took the reins of the GCIS earlier this year, the relationship began deteriorating and that now "it's headed for rock bottom. The relationship cannot be undone by one man."

    Well, we can only hope, but given Manyi's record of racist opinions and what some people might view as an almost constant state of aggro against the media, who knows what's possible?

  • IOL: SABC must broadcast M&G apology... This is really dragging on but perhaps the SABC will finally broadcast the ruling Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA (BCCSA) ruling in favour of Mail & Guardian journalist Sam Sole by 28 June. The BCCSA said yesterday it denied a bid by the SABC to delay the broadcast.

  • Business Day: ANTON HARBER: Manyi wants my job, so here's my advice on his... WHY is Manyi trying to steal Harber's job? Why indeed? (Asked with tongue firmly in cheek.) Well, let's face it, many reckon our man Manyi's performance thus far in his present position has hardly been ... er... stellar, has it... Salary review in nine months or so... Hedging his bets? (Again, tongue firmly in cheek.) Hence, Anton's upped his ante, so to speak, on Manyi's "anti".

    Business Day also reports that the Press Club has taken jolly Jimmy to task for what it describes - pretty charitably, many would think - as our man Manyi's idiotic comments around cartel tendencies and hostility towards government as "disingenuous and ridiculous".

    Oozing charm from every pore, our man Manyi apparently went on to say there is no media diversity. He reckons power is centralised among about three major media companies and the rest of us are "rats and mice". Surely he's taking the Mickey?

View the Application for the Extension of the Mail & Guardian Order Broadcast Date Judgment
Updated at 10.08 am on 22 June 2011.
Updated at 12.30 pm on 23 June 2011.

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