CML1501 Assignment 1 2025 Due 20 August 2025

CML1501 ASSIGNMENT 1 2025
DUE 20 AUGUST 2025

The Films and Publications Amendment Act 11 of 2019 has been met with considerable
controversy, particularly from media organizations. These organizations have criticized
the amendments as potentially unconstitutional and an infringement on freedom of
speech, while the Department of Home Affairs maintains that the legislation is
necessary to safeguard children from harmful content.

1. Analyse the historical development of censorship, providing a concise
overview of its key manifestations across different eras and societies.

Ancient world -Middle Age
In classical Greece, public debate and criticism of rulers sparked early arguments about
freedom versus control of speech (Study Unit 2, Theme 1: The Media and Democracy,
p. 35). In the Middle Ages the Church exercised dominant control: manuscripts that
challenged doctrine were burned, showing how censorship served religious authority