The coverage of the 2004 elections by the broadcast media was credible, free and fair, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) said on Wednesday.
Icasa is empowered by law to monitor party election broadcasts (PEBs), political advertisements and ”the equitable treatment of political parties by broadcasting licensees during the election period”, said Icasa councillor Lumko Mtimde.
Mtimde was speaking at the publication in Johannesburg of Icasa’s report on the broadcast media’s election coverage. He said Icasa had monitored 102 broadcasting licensees during the election campaign. These were 69 community, 16 public and 13 commercial radio stations, and four public and commercial television licensees.
In the period February 16 to April 17 Icasa staff monitored 7 527 political advertisements, 31 000 news items and 8 700 current affairs shows before Icasa’s election committee reached its finding of freeness, fairness and credibility.
Mtimde commended the broadcast media on providing information to voters on how, when and where to vote, the secrecy of the ballot and the role and importance of voting.
He said public radio broadcasters are required by law to broadcast both PEBs — addresses or messages in the interest of a political party, and broadcast free of charge — and political advertisements, which were paid for by the party concerned. Commercial and community radio stations are not required to carry such messages, but could choose to.
Icasa monitored 473 PEBs and 7 527 advertisements during the election campaign.
The Independent Broadcasting Authority Act is silent on the broadcasting of PEBs and political advertisements by television licensees. Icasa commended e.tv for ”the bold step” of airing such messages ”in the absence of a legislative obligation to do so”, Mtimde said.
Pfanani Lishivha, Icasa projects manager, told reporters there were fewer complaints received about broadcasters than in the 1999 election. He attributed this to Icasa’s efforts in educating the media about the regulations governing election coverage.
There was almost a 100% turnout at Icasa training sessions for the media, he said.
The report found English was the language most used in political coverage, with a frequency of 45%. Afrikaans followed with a frequency of 10%, and the other nine official languages had a combined frequency of 45% between them.
Asked if this was fair to African-language speakers, Lishivha said this reflected the use of languages by the licensees. Even community radio stations that broadcast primarily in African languages also used English at times.
Mtimde said there was room for improvement in the use of indigenous languages, which would be considered when broadcasting licences were amended in future. — Sapa