The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) has expressed disappointment in Media24’s failure to release a report into its investigation regarding two senior City Press reporters who were suspended over allegations of misconduct.
In September the media house announced it had suspended the two reporters after allegations of ethical breaches.
When the claims initially surfaced, Sanef released a statement calling for the media house to be transparent about the outcome of the investigation relating to their suspension.
On Monday the editors’ body said the release of a statement by the media house was not enough, and it should have also released the report showing the basis of the alleged ethical breaches and what the company found.
Ishmet Davidson, CEO at Media24, said the two reporters were cleared of wrongdoing.
One reporter was reinstated and the other’s resignation letter was accepted.
“As an industry body with vested interests in the adherence to ethics, we believed it was necessary for the organisation to be transparent.
“We also needed to know the basis and the outcome of the investigation, as was the case with other media houses who previously experienced similar challenges,” Sanef said.
It said it was approached by the two reporters, appealing for the organisation to intervene to get Media24 to release the report.
According to Sanef, the reporters said they had not been given the report despite being the subjects of the investigation.
Sanef said its appeal to the company to release the details was unsuccessful.
“The company rejected our request to share the report, even to the two reporters who were initially implicated, saying they were doing so to honour confidentiality and protect the privacy of its employees.”
Sanef said it believed in the fundamental principle of transparency and if the company would not publicly share the report, at least the two reporters deserve closure.
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Media ethics | Sanef dismayed as Media24 refuses to release report into City Press reporters
Media house also said to have refused to give the report to implicated journalists
Image: Freddy Mavunda
The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) has expressed disappointment in Media24’s failure to release a report into its investigation regarding two senior City Press reporters who were suspended over allegations of misconduct.
In September the media house announced it had suspended the two reporters after allegations of ethical breaches.
When the claims initially surfaced, Sanef released a statement calling for the media house to be transparent about the outcome of the investigation relating to their suspension.
On Monday the editors’ body said the release of a statement by the media house was not enough, and it should have also released the report showing the basis of the alleged ethical breaches and what the company found.
Ishmet Davidson, CEO at Media24, said the two reporters were cleared of wrongdoing.
One reporter was reinstated and the other’s resignation letter was accepted.
“As an industry body with vested interests in the adherence to ethics, we believed it was necessary for the organisation to be transparent.
“We also needed to know the basis and the outcome of the investigation, as was the case with other media houses who previously experienced similar challenges,” Sanef said.
It said it was approached by the two reporters, appealing for the organisation to intervene to get Media24 to release the report.
According to Sanef, the reporters said they had not been given the report despite being the subjects of the investigation.
Sanef said its appeal to the company to release the details was unsuccessful.
“The company rejected our request to share the report, even to the two reporters who were initially implicated, saying they were doing so to honour confidentiality and protect the privacy of its employees.”
Sanef said it believed in the fundamental principle of transparency and if the company would not publicly share the report, at least the two reporters deserve closure.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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