Broadcast bill needs work

2010-01-20 19:08

Johannesburg - While the public service broadcasting bill has support, it does not address some of the problems facing community media, the National Community Radio Forum said on Wednesday.

"The NCRS raised this concern that the proposed bill does not address some of the root causes for existing challenges... such as the need for preferential transmission rates," CEO Franklin Huizies told a media briefing in Johannesburg.

He said some proposals could in fact exacerbate some of the challenges. He said the bill was based on a number of assumptions about problems in the community broadcasting sector, and not on thorough research.

He said a proposal to conduct research was made in discussions with the communications department.

"We are happy that community stations have been recognised, but there are issues that the bill didn't address."

The NCRS called on the government to ensure community media had access to government communications and advertising budgets.

"The NCRS is also against proposals in the bill giving the minister of communications powers to issue directives to community media."

On Tuesday Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda dismissed claims by the Democratic Alliance that the proposed Bill would grant him unprecedented power over the SA Broadcasting Corporation.

"Not only are these claims baseless and unfounded, they also have the potential to mislead the people of this country," he said.
 

- SAPA