The decision by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) this week to close M-Net’s two-hour open time diminishes competition in the sector, M-Net said on Friday.
”Neither the SABC [South African Broadcasting Corporation] or e.tv were able to conclusively show that they would benefit from the closure by way of increased advertising revenue,” M-Net chief executive Glen Marques said, calling Icasa’s rationale ”unclear”.
”It effectively diminishes competition in the sector,” he said.
Marques said M-Net will make further presentations to Icasa.
Interested parties have until April 5 to make presentations, said the regulator. A further round of oral hearings will be held next month.
Icasa wants M-Net’s open time closed by September next year, it said in a statement.
”Closing open time will force M-Net to re-evaluate the programming it currently schedules in the two-hour slot,” Marques said.
”The local production sector is likely to be most impacted.
”Viewers who are not subscribers to M-Net will be deprived of some of their favourite programming such as Egoli and the popular reality shows like Idols, The Block and Big Brother.” — Sapa