John Matisonn is a South African political journalist and author. He was one of the founding councillors of South Africa's Independent Broadcasting Authority and from 1986 to 1991 was the South Africa correspondent for National Public Radio in the United States. Matisonn chaired the founding meeting Free, Fair and Open, South Africa in the Transition to Democracy (1992) whose resolutions were adopted by CODESA. From 2002 to 2004 Matisonn helped launch and run the South African edition of THISDAY newspaper in the post of editorial director.