“The media has also been known to resort to censorship to protect its commercial viability. In the process, it draws boundaries around public discourse. Rapport’s firing of columnist Deon Maas, after he penned a controversial column, falls into this category. So does Media24’s threatened defamation action against media activist and former employee David Robert Lewis, for criticising the company.”
“The Sowetan’s dismissal of sub-editor Llewellyn Kriel for criticising the company’s journalistic standards on his Thought Leader blog does not inspire confidence in the media’s ability to tolerate “friendly fire”. Denying obvious problems in the mainstream media reduces the effectiveness of counter-arguments to the ANC’s policy.”
From: Business Day 29 January 2008
Different guises, voices of the enemies of free speech
http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A692972