Quote, unquote: Defending freedom and fairness in journalism

"As journalists, we believe in free speech and a robust free press and media. We also believe we have an overall duty to serve the public interest and the common good. The press should be fearless, exciting, entertaining, waspish, commercial and competitive.

"At the same time journalistic integrity must be respected, encouraged and protected from political, commercial and other pressures. Any reforms to press regulation should seek to strengthen the ability of journalists to report the news without fear or favour – and not further weaken it."

-- from an online petition being promoted by Press Gazette in Britain in response to fears that -- in the wake of the News International phone-hacking scandal -- draconian controls will be instituted for the media.

South African editors campaign against information bill

South African editors have launched a campaign against the Protection of Information Bill, which they say will keep government contracts or documents produced by state-owned enterprises, secret. According to an Associated Press story, relayed by journalism.co.uk, the South African National Editors Forum declared in a statement signed by 36 editors that free expression is the "lifeblood" of South Africa.

As part of a continuing campaign against the introduction of the bill as law, one newspaper even reportedly started running notices next to its stories telling readers "you would not be reading this story" if the law was passed.

Concerns over government control of the media were heightened last week after the arrest of South African journalist Mzilikazi wa Afrika, following his work investigating alleged corruption by officials.