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Plea for live broadcast of proceedings

Live Africa and ETV have each made an application to the King Commission to allow the electronic media to broadcast its proceedings.

Presenting the electronic media's case, Live Africa chief executive Paul Martin Cainer argued that the public have the right to know whether the money they pay at the gate is to watch a real contest or some contrived process. The majority of the public use radio and television as their primary source of information. Just having newsreaders reading out extracts is, said Martin, "like having a Rolls Royce and using it like a Volkswagen".

Martin Cainer offered that Live Africa would install a system where microphones in the hearing will be attached to cables leading out of the room to another place. The electronic media could plug in from there.

He said this would not intimidate witnesses. It would allow the public to hear with their own ears what was being given in evidence.

The judge said he would rule on the matter tomorrow -- but indicated he felt the objections by all the cricket-playing witnesses were "powerful".

Live Africa and ETV say they will take the matter further if Judge King rules against them. An application to the Constitutional Court is likely.

That could delay the hearings for weeks.

Paul Martin Cainer is Editor, Sport Africa and Live Africa, and will be reporting on the King Commission hearings for rediff.com

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