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SABC eyes 12 channels
08/08/2006 08:44 - (SA)
Liesl Pretorius, Beeld
Johannesburg - At least 12 SABC channels by 2010.
This is one of the plans envisaged by the SABC's CEO, Dali Mpofu.
Mpofu, who just started his second year in this position, says digitisation would make this "multi-channel environment" possible.
He thinks these channels should not be divided by language, but by subject (possibilities include sport, news and religion).
The SABC of the future is one that "empowers South African citizens".
He thinks the broadcaster could in the long term play a role in providing education.
This could increase the ability of people to take part in democracy and create citizens of "quality".
According to Mpofu, the SABC's mandate is difficult to fulfil, but not impossible.
"If we are answerable to the public and not the advertisers or the government, it's possible."
He says the SABC could never be everything to everybody. The aim is to satisfy "most people more often".
Referring to financing, he thinks the dependence on
advertisements should proportionally be curtailed.
He suggests the SABC should also investigate other commercial prospects to finance its public broadcaster mandate.
Examples include, offering a television pay channel, as well as a soccer channel with a view to the 2010 Soccer World Cup tournament.
Mpofu declined to say if the SABC was going to apply for a subscription broadcast licence from the Independent Communication Authority before the August 31 deadline.
With regard to accusations of bias in SABC news broadcasts, Mpofu says the broadcaster should address this "perception".
"We will report on government stories, because it's important that people know what the government is doing.
"A State broadcaster must show what the government is promising and establish if the promises have been kept."
He thinks the role radio could play as a tool for social change should also receive attention.
Sport coverage could improve with regard to variety, quality and live broadcasts.
He says the SABC has done well by emphasising communities that didn't receive a lot of coverage, as well as with regard to children's programmes and the broadcaster's investment in local content.
Mpofu says he had accepted his position because he wanted to serve the country. "The SABC was here before me and will also be here after I've gone."
- Beeld
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South Africa
