Cape Talk complaint not upheld - BCCSA

Johannesburg - A complaint that the Harley Carnes US Report, which was broadcast on Cape Talk, was one-sided was not upheld, the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA (BCCSA) said on Saturday.

The complainant argued that the report, which was broadcast most weekdays with Kieno Kammies, was one-sided because it only provided a Republican view of United States president Barack Obama's administration, the commission said in its ruling.

He referred to four broadcasts.

"The matters raised by [the complainant] are... relevant," the commission said.

"However, we do not believe that they qualify as matters of public importance for South Africa - at least, not in the sense that the comments may be regarded as of such a nature that the rules of freedom of expression have been overstepped."

The commission said it did not believe that Cape Talk listeners were "gullible" that they would have accepted what they heard on the broadcasts as the last word on the matter.

It said it would be overstepping its power if it ruled against Cape Talk.