Pretoria - Communications Minister Faith Muthambi will on Tuesday speak about transformation in the broadcasting and print media space at the B-BBEE ICT Sector Council at Gallagher Estate.
The B-BBEE ICT Sector Council, which was established in September 2015 with the purpose of developing the ICT Sector Code as an instrument to drive transformation in the ICT sector, will be hosted by the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services.
“My view is that as long as the media space more especially print is still predominantly owned and controlled by one racial group, we won’t see much positive stories about the National Development Plan (NDP) or the Nine Point Plan, but we will still be fed with racial stereotypes news stories that portray the black led government leaders as corrupt and untransformed media houses will always cover stories that seek to influence residents to rebel against their own leaders.
“I strongly believe that where there is diversity in the media industry, media freedom is enjoyed by all citizens irrespective of their racial group and gender, and those in deep rural areas also have the opportunity not only to consume the media, but to produce and own the sector.
“By these…I don’t suggest that the media industry must be captured by the State, no, no, no…the idea is to de-racialise the sector through increasing black ownership and control as well as its role in support of development,” she said.
Minister Muthambi said the two-day Print Media Transformation Colloquium she hosted in August this year was the beginning of the journey towards full transformation in the print media space in South Africa.
“We are embarking on this journey to unravel what lies hidden in our past, but that continues to hold us back because the media to better reflects the views of all South Africans,” she said.
A fort night ago, Minister Muthambi officially turned off the analogue television transmission, where over 3 700 households in the town of Carnavon; Vanwyksvlei, Brandvlei, Vosburg and Williston were successfully migrated to the much awaited digital platform.
The Minister said: “Even the proposed amendments to the Broadcasting Act which we’ve tabled as government are in line with our vision of ensuring universal access to broadcasting services in South Africa.
“The proposed changes will strengthen the SABC and better allow it to fulfil its public broadcasting service mandate". - SAnews.gov.za
