Pretoria – Government this week released a Gazette in terms of section 3(2) of the Broadcasting Act (No. 4 of 1999) with the intention of undertaking a comprehensive broadcasting policy review.
In terms of the Gazette, published on Wednesday, 12 November, Communications Minister Faith Muthambi has requested the public and industry to submit issues for consideration.
According to the Gazette, issues to be included for submission can include, but are not limited to:
- Mandate and funding of public broadcasting services;
- Regulation of broadcasting services;
- Content of local and national interest;
- Development of languages through broadcasting services;
- Broadcasting landscape beyond digital terrestrial television;
- Institutional arrangements to support the development of the sector;
- Must carry regulation; and
- Media development and diversity.
Briefing journalists on the Ministry’s plans to review the Broadcasting Act and on consultations with the broadcast industry on digital migration, this week, Minister Muthambi said government will undertake a broadcasting policy review which will, amongst others, ensure that the broadcasting regulation framework is brought in-line with new practices.
She said the broadcast media landscape had changed over the years, and that a review was necessary to ensure that the broadcast sector is revived in terms of content, transformation and funding.
“A new policy and regulatory framework is needed to support these outcomes and reposition our industry for the complex and unpredictable technological future ahead and also to enable us to respond to the mandate given to us by the President,” she said.
Minister Muthambi said once public inputs have been consolidated, the department would release a set of discussion papers.
She said three discussion papers would subsequently be released – namely the “General Broadcasting Issues”, “Public Broadcasting” and "Community Broadcasting and Funding of Media Development and Diversity South Africa”.
“This is to ensure that those issues requiring intense discussions are given adequate attention,” she said.
“A comprehensive final report from these discussion documents will be published for public consideration. The report and its recommendations inform the new White Paper on Broadcasting Policy to be published later in 2015.” – SAnews.gov.za
