Special Hearings — Media Hearings — 1997-09-15

UNKNOWN: In reply to this question I should perhaps refer to the fact that I regard myself as a political economist and I often ask myself the question about what things really are about in the economy and it could not just be to achieve the highest economic growth rate. It must be in the interest of the common interest or the bon commune or something to that effect in the economy. This is more easily said than done. It is part of the democratic process and part of the civil community to be in constant discussions and argument to define this bon commune and at times to gain certainty about what we mean, and it is on part of this that I did my doctorate in the beginning of the 60's.    I was interested and it was quite a challenge to be part of the SABC Board because I regarded it as an important portion of the public sector and that it was also the task of the SABC to promote the bon commune. It was referred to this morning that freedom is not absolute and that nobody can be ideologically neutral. I fully agree with that.  Now at the SABC many arguments and debates were entered into in this regard and to clarify this for myself, in due course I obtained some of the documentation of the BBC, of the Commission of Inquiry, I've forgotten it's name but it really spoke to me because what happened in England with the BBC which had quite an extent of independence, but which nevertheless had to justify itself to the parliament    that the people who were (tape ends) ....ted in promoting and defining the common interest and the greater good. And I pleaded for this when I was part of the SABC Board that we had to set aside time for discussion on how we could regard the greater interest. And this is wisdom of hindsight again, that although the political process in South Africa was a very narrow one, we in the SABC could perhaps compensate for this.   Well we are now in a new dispensation and at present you will all agree with me that civil society in South Africa has not developed as it should, the media, the churches, the educational institutions in South Africa etc  have to cooperate in working towards the greater good and I must say that there are very few discussion programmes regarding controversial matters as part of the new SABC institution which can form part of the greater debate that must be kept alive, that must be never-ending.   What is the purpose, what do we wish to achieve, what is our objective in this country?  I know it is difficult in the subject, economics, it is difficult to give a concrete definition and it is equally difficult in public life but it does not absolve us from constantly being busy with this, all these elements of civil society to make sure that they are in place to play a supporting role.  But I would say that the BBC should be a very good and important example.  Something that just flashed through my mind, Mr Pretorius said that he had the opportunity to get matters off his chest, well if there is one matter for which I was infamous in the SABC and about which I feel even more strongly, it is the extreme commercialisation of the SABC.  You know during the '80's 70% of the SABC's funding came through advertisements. I think that was hopelessly too high because in the end the advertisers exert pressure on the quality of programmes. We saw that in the '80's very clearly, and I suspect that at present it still happens, it lowers the quality, it just disturbs the balance and the SABC as a forum for controversial matters to be discussed is suffering damage in the process.

<UNKNOWN>: Professor I want to thank you for the special way in which you presented your submission. Also for you patience. I know your time is extremely limited and you have to go back to the wonderful weather in Cape Town.  I see you feel very bad about that. We thank you once again and thank you very much for your presence here today.

UNKNOWN: Thank you Mr Chairman it was a privilege for me to have been here.