Broadcasting of sports events of national importance

SPORT AND RECREATION PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
9 May 2000
BROADCASTING OF SPORT EVENTS OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE

SUMMARY
Ms N Bhengu (ANC), the chairperson, proposed and ruled that the media be excluded from this meeting as this committee would be discussing issues of a sensitive nature that affect the media.

MINUTES
Ms N Bhengu welcomed Minister N Balfour and recapped the discussion of the previous meeting held on 7 March 2000 around the increasing trend of broadcasting sporting events of national importance on the paid channels.

The chairperson outlined the various stages the portfolio committee would be following in dealing with this issue. She proposed that the committee address the question of whether the media should be excluded from this meeting or be present. She informed the committee that issues of a sensitive nature affecting the media would be discussed during this meeting.

Mr Paul Swart (DP) said that they would be discussing sports which are of national importance. The committee is not discussing the media but which sporting events should be viewed. He pointed out that they had previously discussed similar issues in the presence of the media without experiencing any problems.

Mr Kgware interjected saying that due to the past misbehavior of the media and the sensitivity of the issues to be discussed, the media should be excluded from the meeting.

The Chairperson informed the committee that she had raised the issue of the media's presence because the committee would be discussing media-sensitive issues and would be engaging the media at a later stage.

Mr Kgware (ANC) seconded the chairperson's proposal to exclude the media from this meeting.

Mr E Ferreira (IFP) said that they were not discussing state secrets, and do not foresee a problem with the media's presence.

Mr A Mlangeni (ANC) said that they had a policy of opening all meetings to the media, except in rare circumstances where sensitive issues were to be discussed, such as this one, and therefore he believed that the media should not be present.

Ms N Bhengu made a final ruling that the public be excluded because issues that affect the media will be discussed. She clarified that this committee will not be discussing the media itself but issues that will affect the media.