Media Monday Bulletin - We The People Campaign; Minister’s role in SABC hiring; Icasa policy review

Posted: 20 February 2012 | News - Newsletter | Categories: Democracy and Governance, Media Freedom and Performance

And here is what’s on offer this Media Monday:

·         We The People – celebrations for SA constitution heighten;

·         More crucial appointments at SABC, the Minister’s role questioned; and,

·         Icasa’s broadcasting regulatory review underway.

The time is now to declare your love for SA’s constitution!

We The People, an initiative by Media Monitoring Africa (MMA), continues to call for all South Africans to tell the world why they love their constitution. The aim of this initiative is simple: to get over a million South Africans to tell the world why they love their constitution, and that’s where you come in. Details on how you can help a bit later...

This is in celebration of our constitution as this February marks the 15th anniversary of this great and important document, which is an excellent model for many countries across Africa and the world over. Need we also add that it is also the most advanced constitution in the world? But surely you must know that by now – so, what are you waiting for? Go on and tell the world why it is such a great document and why you love it so much!

Here is how:

§  Go to We The People website and post your messages there

§  Like the We The People Facebook page and post your messages on their wall

§  Follow We The People on Twitter and tweet your declaration of love to our constitution – don’t forget to include the hashtags #WeThePeople and #LoveOurConstitution while you’re at it

§  Send anSMS to 078 949 3735 –FREE SMS DO APPLY by the way!

So there you have it – easy as that! Like the Director at MMA William Bird indicated, the Americans stage a party every year in celebration of their constitution, so why can’t we, since we have one of the best constitutions in the world? You can also Facebook and Tweet us your undying love for our constitution and we will gladly direct your messages to “We The People”.

Crucial SABC posts filled, at the Minister’s help, of course!

Following announcement by the Communications Ministry, of the appointment of Ms. Lulama Mokhobo as new Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) over a month ago, the parastatal looks to be taking the filling up of top posts as a matter of urgency. In her interview with The New Age, Ms. Mokhobo clearly indicated that key positions needed to be filled at the broadcaster. And that’s what’s happening!

Attempts have been made to fill the second most powerful post at the SABC – that of the Chief Operating Officer (COO) – which caused quite a stir with allegations that the post was kept internal and reserved for one Hlaudi Motsoeneng, said to not be suitably qualified.

Communications Minister Dina Pule intervened, calling for the SABC to put its search for a new COO on ice and to follow a normal and wider appointment process. And the latest, Dina Pule announced the appointment of Ms. Gugu Duda as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at the SABC.

The SOS: Support Public Broadcasting Coalition welcomed the appointment of a new CEO at the SABC, but was concerned about the Minister’s playing such a great role in the appointments of CEO, COO and CFO at the public broadcaster. According to the SOS Coalition, the Minister’s role in the approval of key SABC appointments was against best international practice, with respect to public broadcasting regulation, and that the SABC board should take sole responsibility of these appointments without any input from the Ministry.

The Coalition said the same thing of the Minister’s intervention into the COO fracas, and reiterated the same concern with regards to the latest appointment at the SABC – that of the CFO.

Is that cause for concern? Is the Ministry of Communications overplaying its hand in SABC politics and appointments? Do both the SABC board and the Ministry give ear to SOS’s concerns and take them seriously – should they, and why? Should the independence of key appointments at the SABC be taken with a pinch of salt in light of the Minister’s continued intervention? Do the appointments amount to political interference? Why is the SABC board not solely taking up the action of filling up key appointments? What does this say about the credibility of the new SABC leadership?

Help us with answers to these questions via Facebook and Twitter...

Icasa holds conference on broadcasting regulatory framework

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) is hosting an international conference to review South Africa’s broadcasting regulatory framework. The Conference, currently underway in Sandton Johannesburg, aims to review the existing analogue broadcasting regulatory frameworks to be in line with the digital era.

The Conference, held over two days and ending tomorrow, will be addressed by renowned International Speakers from Canada, Australia, Isle of Man, United Kingdom and Belgium, and will also include presentations from South African Chapter 9 institutions, broadcasting organisations, manufacturing sector, consumer and communication forums/organisations.

The SOS: Support Public Broadcasting questioned in its newly-launched weekly newsletter, Our SABC: A Review of South African Broadcasting Issues, whether or not Icasa’s broadcasting policy review amounted to “placing the cart before the horse”. SOS and R2K (the Right2Know Campaign) raised concerns about Icasa’s broadcasting regulation review taking place in the context of an outdated policy and legislation.

But maybe before we also ‘place the cart before the horse’ we need to ask if the people out there know who Icasa is and what it does? Do you know of Icasa and how it works? And the broadcasting regulatory framework that is being reviewed: do you know what it is and what the purpose of it all is?