Summit of
Editors-owners-managers:
“THE BOTTOM LINE …”
Background to a Sanef initiative
Background
Industry funds SANEF, but …
MAPPP-SETA refund
Downsizing
Dismissal of Mathatha Tsedu
Not a union of editors
History: Tony Heard, Raymond Louw,
Allister Sparks, Lawrence Gandar
7. Peter Bruce – UDM, etc.
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A: Changes in decade
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Since Richard Steyn: downgrading of editors
so don’t report to a Board;
Squeeze on newsroom sizes;
Tensions over editorial independence &
commercialism (Vusi Mona’s chickens)
Editor abuse of position (Vusi Mona’s conflict
of interests, politics)
Transformation issue: Africanisation, but
keep white audiences
Reduced time for actual editing.
Significance
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Editors not secure
Face too many imperatives
– Chasing tails
– Sanef suffers
• Media credibility in long term?
• Gives govt & others a stick to beat us.
B: SUMMIT OBJECTIVES
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Exchange views in focused and frank way;
Assess the state of mutual relations in a
general (non-personalised) sense;
Probe and try to explain problems – which
are fundamental; which are just
communicational;
Do recommendations to improve relations;
Possibly: statement of general principles for
future guidance.
C. DRAFT PROGRAMME
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International experience (eg. Bill Kovacs)
How problems manifest themselves –
– commercial focus; advertising relations
and content integrity; market-tailism –
eg. chasing audiences at the expense
of leadership; ownership styles; staff
reporting resources; line-accountable
reporting systems; editorial charters
and policies.
• Different and shared interests of editors,
managers and owners.
C. DRAFT PROGRAMME
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Is the media industry like any other
business, or should it be considered
unique?
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“Triple bottom line” - should there be a
4th bottom line that reports on
performance as regards the quality of
journalism and its social value?
C. DRAFT PROGRAMME
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What do we share in terms of industry
as a whole vis-à-vis convergence, the
continent, the politicians and
advertisers?
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What do we understand by the
“transformation” challenge? A media
charter? Advertising industry’s recent
bid to score media placements in terms
of BEE credentials).
D. TIMING & ORGANISATION
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Date: before another Sun City summit with
Government, recommended - March 2006.
Duration: commence with a guest international
speaker on the opening evening, conclude late pm
the following day.
Industry participants: Connie Molusi, PMSA,
NAB, boards
Planning: organising committee - two Sanef
members, one PMSA rep, and one NAB rep, to
draw up the programme and guest list.
Venue: Outside of a major centre
D. TIMING & ORGANISATION
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Costs: Each pay own way, + industry
pay R1000 towards Sanef organising costs
& expenses of guest speakers.
Procedure: Proceedings should be not for
attribution, so as to enable a robust
exchange of views.
Follow-up: A general minute should be
compiled and circulated broadly beyond the
participants. If there is a declaration, it
should be publicised widely.
E. EDITORS’ VIEWS
13 responses
4 away
1. Who do you think editors should
report to? MD, CEO, board? Why?
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Board, board, board
Board – not so focussed on short-term
Board – strategy & perform assess
Board – but not as director
Ceo, ceo, md
Ceo – board won’t make diffs to
resources
No diffs, either
Ceo & board
2. How much time spent on
activities other than editorial & staff?
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90% (a web editor)
60%, 55%, 50%
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45%, 40%
35%, 30%
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20%, 20%, 20%
10% (delegated other to deputy)
3. Internal threats to your editorial
independence?
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Cost-cutting; cost-cutting impact on quality.
Budget, Budget, fierce budgets.
Too few resources, personnel, low salaries
Ad:editorial ratio. Managerial involvement.
Politicians phoning management.
Time in searching for black staff.
Poaching of staff.
Juniorisation, juniorisation, incompetence.
Downgrading jobs.
None; none
4. Socio-political contribution?
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Economic transformation, ditto
Neutral meeting point around news
Keep SA informed, Public service
Bridge between communities
Raise awareness on poverty
Affirmative uplifting stories; hope
Well-being of elites, Project SA’s image
Moral regeneration
Hold politicians, business accountable
Investigate, push envelope, debate
5. Problems with owners/managers
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Managers undermining editors on staff
grievances, hiring.
Lack of understanding of editorial
None, none, none, none, blank
Money, purse, rigidity, pagination too tight
Merit increases, retention
Access: hard to see them, hierarchy
6. Short-term financial gain at
expense of long-term investment in
quality and sustainability?
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Managers also being pushed
Continuous argument needed, balancing
Difficult to do new projects
No; no; no; previously but not at present
Yes; yes; yes – but is it for survival?
Definitely, but it is justified (fierce
competition)
Yes – for political, rather than economic.
Is there a Sanef position?
1. on a summit?
2. on the outcomes?
3. on reporting to the board?
4. on editorial independence?
5. on time for editing?
6. on resourcing for editorial?
7. on a role greater than business?