Some witnesses are more credible than others, and some are not. It’s important to remember that witnesses can contradict each other, and there’s always a potential for error, distortion, and bias in any information source. This should encourage a cautious and critical approach to news reporting.
An affidavit is a legal document, and once it is witnessed and attested to by a notary public or other official, it holds the force of law. As such, it binds the individual to the truthfulness of the information they provide. In addition, an affidavit is only valid when made voluntarily and without coercion. Affidavits can be used as evidence, but with caution, as evidence admitted must be legally permissible. In effect, it means that even if the evidence offered was relevant, it could still be rejected in court as objectionable according to the precepts of the law.
The general rule is that all relevant parties must prove their cases with evidence. Statements made informally are only admitted if made freely and voluntarily. This ensures that threats or promises from someone in authority do not induce statements. It includes any person reasonably believed to influence the course of potential prosecution.
To avoid libel suits, reporters should only report indisputable facts, and compelling evidence should support claims. Before publishing a story, a journalist must evaluate the source’s credibility, consider what information to use, and how to present it to the audience. Editors should also know how to identify informants with personal motives. All these factors impact the story’s credibility and, eventually, the reputation of the reporter and the news outlet.
THE CASE OF KWASIZABANTU MISSION – THE NEWS24 REPORTAGE
The KwaSizabantu/News24 coverage underscores the importance of a news reporter’s role in scrutinising and evaluating sources carefully. When done thoroughly, this process ensures that only trusted information is presented to the audience, providing a sense of reassurance about the thoroughness of news reporting.
Noseweek (the investigative magazine) and an independent panel of law experts questioned and doubted the complainants’ and the support witnesses’ accounts of events. Noseweek disagreed that an affidavit is sufficient evidence.
READ THE MEDIA ETHICS COLUMN IN DEVOTED, FROM ISSUE 38 ONWARDS.
