In recent months, our coverage of the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (Samro) has been the subject of a complaint before the Press Ombudsman.
The process has highlighted instances where Sunday World fell short of the standards required by the Press Code, particularly in how aspects of Samro’s submissions were reflected in our reporting.
As a publication committed to ethical journalism, we acknowledge those shortcomings and have reached an agreement with Samro to resolve the complaint.
This is done as a measure of our commitment to strengthening our editorial vigour.
Samro plays an important role in South Africa’s creative economy by serving composers, authors and publishers through collecting licence fees and distributing royalties for the use of their creative products.
In the past financial year alone, the organisation distributed more than R630-million for the 2025 financial year to rightsholders, income that sustains thousands of creators in Southern Africa and globally.
The media has a duty to scrutinise institutions and hold them accountable, particularly those entrusted with serving the public interest and stewarding the interests of composers, authors and publishers.
The responsibility, however, carries an equally important obligation, which is to ensure fairness, accuracy and balance in reporting
Under new management, Sunday World remains firmly committed to the principles of the Press Code and to strengthening our editorial processes to ensure such lapses do not recur.
Accountability must run both ways in a democratic society.
Institutions must remain open to scrutiny, and the media must remain accountable to the ethical standards that underpin credible journalism.
Constructive engagement between organisations and the media ultimately serves the public interest.
We hope the resolution of this matter opens the door to more responsible dialogue.
- Sunday World faced a complaint before the Press Ombudsman over its coverage of the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (Samro), revealing lapses in adherence to the Press Code.
- The publication has acknowledged its reporting shortcomings and reached a resolution agreement with Samro to address the complaint.
- Samro distributed over R630-million in royalties to rightsholders in the 2025 financial year, playing a vital role in supporting creators in Southern Africa and globally.
- Sunday World commits to upholding ethical journalism principles, ensuring fairness, accuracy, and balance in future reporting under new management.
- The resolution emphasizes the importance of mutual accountability between media and institutions to foster responsible scrutiny and constructive public dialogue.
