Third-party complaints in the system of press regulation: Inviting the reader to take part in journalistic accountability and securing press freedom

The system of self-regulation for the press was subject to contentious debates in South Africa from 2010 to 2012. The Press Council of South Africa and the accountability mechanism for the press (self-regulation) underwent two separate processes of review during this period, subsequently altering the procedures of the press complaints body to some degree, and replacing the self-regulatory system with one of independent co-regulation. A significant change to the system, in January 2013, was the introduction of the allowance of third-party complaints. In an environment of increasing perceived threats to press freedom from government, and acknowledging the low public profile of the press accountability body, the introduction of third-party complaints enables the raising of public awareness about the purpose of the Press Council of South Africa and its relationship to the defence of press freedom, in a format which was not previously possible.