News
- Comment on the Public Service Broadcasting Bill
In this videoclip, William Bird of Media Monitoring Africa speaks with Polity’s Amy Witherden on the controversial Public Service Broadcasting Bill, which was released for public comment in October 2009.
- SOS submission on Public Service Broadcasting Bill calls for urgent policy review process
The SOS: Supporting Public Broadcasting Coalition, of which MMA is a part, submitted their submission on the Public Service Broadcasting Bill on Friday 15 January 2010.
The Coalition wishes to recognise and applaud the Department of Communications and the Minister of Communications for trying to act swiftly in bringing about much-needed legislative reform. The Coalition welcomes the sense of urgency and energy behind the Proposed Bill. That said, the Coalition is also of the view that while the Bill has a number of positive elements which we certainly support, there are unfortunately a number of problems with it as currently drafted which, if not addressed, will result in the latter not being able to be passed by Parliament.
Overall the Coalition argues that the Bill is premature and that it needs to be proceeded by a substantive policy review process.
- New deadline for broadcasting bill ‘cosmetic’
COMMUNICATIONS Minister Siphiwe Nyanda yesterday bowed to public pressure and extended the deadline for public comment on the controversial Public Service Broadcasting Bill to January 15, but media watchdog Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) called the extension “cosmetic”.
- Campaign to get more time for broadcast bill
MEDIA Monitoring Africa, a media policy watchdog, yesterday launched a campaign on its website calling for the public to petition the director- general of the Department of Communications, Mamodupi Mohlala, to allow more time to comment on the controversial Public Service Broadcast Bill, which it says will fundamentally change broadcasting.
- Petition to delay PBS Bill public summisions deadline
A petition to request the South African government to extend the deadline for public submissions on the proposed controversial Public Service Broadcasting Bill, from 7 December 2009 to the end of March 2010 has been put forward by media policy watchdog Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) together with the SOS (Supporting Public Broadcasting) Coalition.
- Public Broadcast Bill needs more time
More time is needed for the public to submit changes to the proposed Public Service Broadcasting Bill, Media Monitoring Africa said in a statement on Tuesday.
“We are asking the department of communications for a reasonable extension to the deadline for public submissions on the bill,“ the watchdog’s director William Bird said in a statement.
- Urgent call to extend deadline for Public Service Broadcasting Bill
Media policy watchdog Media Monitoring Africa, together with the SOS Supporting Public Broadcasting Coalition, is imploring the South African government for a reasonable extension to the deadline for public submissions on the proposed controversial Public Service Broadcasting Bill, from December 7 to the end of March 2010.
- Coalition wants SABC to become a chapter nine institution
The Save Our SABC Coalition said on Thursday making the broadcaster a chapter nine institution would protect it from government interference.
- Broadcasting Amendment Bill unworkable if certain key clauses not amended
Today the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications will again be deliberating on the Broadcasting Amendment Bill. The ‘Save our SABC’ Coalition is sending a letter to the Chair of the Committee, Ismail Vadi to object to certain proposals to amend the Bill suggested by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).
- Broadcasting Amendment Bill ‘still unworkable’
The battle to ‘save’ the SABC’s soul continues unabated and has entered a crucial phase. Towards the end of last week, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) held its deliberations on the Broadcasting Amendment Bill, which could be soon adopted by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Kgalema Motlanthe. Yet the ‘Save our SABC’ coalition believes that the bill is still unworkable.