Join us at the Media Freedom Festival 2024! Be part of intricate discussions around ‘Media for Democracy: Ensuring Access, Accountability, and Integrity in Journalism.’ 

We are excited to announce the 2024 Media Freedom Festival under the theme, “Media for Democracy: Ensuring Access, Accountability, and Integrity in Journalism.” This year marks an exciting expansion of the event, with new and strengthened partnerships with leading organisations committed to amplifying media freedom and human rights. With the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) as our media partner, this year’s festival promises to be more impactful than ever before.

The festival honours Black Wednesday (19 October), the day in 1977 when the apartheid government clamped down on media and political organisations with far-reaching detentions, bannings, and newspaper closures. This year’s event promises three days of dynamic dialogue, thought-provoking discussions, and insightful exchanges into the current challenges facing the news media industry. It is co-hosted by the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF), Campaign for Free Expression (CFE), Association of Independent Publishers (AIP), Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), the Press Council, SOS Support Public Broadcasting Coalition (SOS), alongside international partners such as the German Embassy and Goethe-Institut.

Theme: The State of Free Expression In South Africa