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Religion
9. Policy
on Religious Content 9.1 Introduction South Africa is a multicultural and multi-faith society that is united by a common humanity and moral order. Within its diversity there are human values that call for the promotion of social harmony, national healing, reconciliation, social reconstruction and nation building. Most South Africans associate with a variety of faiths, beliefs and practices. The SABC has a public interest obligation to provide content in a manner that is unbiased and representative of South Africa’s multifaith character. In so doing, the SABC seeks to promote mutual respect for all faiths. The SABC’s content should therefore reflect South Africa’s major faiths, while allowing expression for those that do not have an extensive following. For the purposes of this policy, major faiths are understood to include Christianity, African Traditional Religion, Islam, Hinduism and Judaism. In its content, the SABC seeks to correct gender, racial, religious and resource allocation imbalances associated with faith-based offerings in the past. It further seeks to ensure that the distinctive identities of the traditions are reflected in a way that facilitates the moral objectives of justice, social harmony and the common good. Faithcentric content should play a meaningful part in the moral regeneration of South Africa. Such content should be provided in accordance with values that include: 9.1.1
Sensitivity to the diverse nature of South African society and the need for justice, healing and reconciliation; 9.1.2 Compassion and concern for human dignity and for all life, including the earth 9.1.3 A common South African identity; 9.1.4 Integrity, transparency and trust in all relationships; 9.1.5 Commitment to the independence and impartiality of the SABC, within the parameters of its accountability to the South African public; and
9.1.6
A spirit of co-operation between the SABC and the faith community.
9.2
Nature of Religious Content
The following principles underpin the SABC’s approach to faith-based content: 9.2.1 In achieving its mandate, the SABC provides both faith-specific and multi-faith content. Faith-specific content should give the major religious groups the scope to celebrate their life of faith without censure. Multi-faith offerings - (programmes with content elements that are diverse) and inter faith offerings -(programmes that offer diverse voices and views on a theme), in addition to faith-specific content, should promote dialogue, respect and understanding among all the faith groupings in South Africa. In delivering faith-based content, the SABC should take advantage of its multiplatform environment. 9.2.2 Whereas faith-based content is aimed at complying with the SABC’s Programming and Publishing Policy, the organisation takes particular care to ensure that in such offerings there is sensitivity to the beliefs of others, and that no faith is attacked or undermined. 9.2.3 Faith-based programmes may not be used to solicit funds, or to support any content offerings of a political or ideological nature. Permission for fundraising, whether for emergency relief and/or social welfare causes, should be obtained from the SABC before the airing and publishing of the content. 9.2.4 The format of faith-based offerings and the choice of presenters should meet the technical, creative and professional criteria required by the SABC. 9.2.5 The SABC provides faith-based content in a variety of formats including documentaries, magazines and actuality. The aim of these is to encourage comment on matters of national concern, and to introduce people to faiths practised in South Africa and, where appropriate, elsewhere.
