SOS calls for broadcasting policy review

The coalition, representing unions, media NGOs, independent producers and academics, has completed a substantive final draft of its submission but thought that the Bill still had a number of issues, which if not addressed, would result in Bill not being passed by Parliament.

Issues

The coalition has made the following points about the proposed Bill:

• It is premature and needs to be proceeded by a substantive policy review process
  
• There are constitutional problems- both procedurally and substantively:

  • Procedurally, it calls for a tax amendment, which would need to be tabled by the Minister of Finance, who has already indicated that a dedicated broadcasting tax would not be supported

  • Substantively, it undermines the SABC's freedom of expression rights; community media's freedom of association rights; and the Constitution's requirement to “ensure independent regulation of broadcasting by a single Regulator.” The proposed Public Service Broadcasting Fund potentially impinges on the role of the Regulator through its operations in all three tiers of the media, its massive financial muscle and the scope of its powers.

• Provisions are inconsistent and contradictory:
  • It includes two Charters - an SABC Charter and Community Media Charter and is not entirely clear on the legal status of these Charters and these Charters and the Bill often contradict one another

• A need for a major policy review process with significant debate on issues such as:

  • Bill's linking of broadcasting to the “developmental state”
    
  • Its total re-conceptualisation of the role of community media

  • Funding

• This would allow a number of governance and funding options to be researched, debated and discussed, which would certainly be to the long-term benefit of public broadcasting.

For more information, contact Kate Skinner, SOS coalition campaign co-ordinator, on cell +27 (0)82 926 6404.