The South African Broadcasting Corporation has established a task team to look into the implications of the draft Public Service Broadcasting Bill published for public comment last Friday.
The SABC said in a statement on Wednesday it acknowledged and welcomed the process around the draft Bill.
The corporation had for some time been raising the issues of, among other things, the institutional framework for Channel Africa, the clarification of the roles of the public commercial service and public broadcasting service divisions and recognition of the international services.
”The corporation also feels that this draft Bill looks at broadcasting in a developmental state.”
SABC management had established a team that would look at the implications the Bill might have on the organisation and would present a report to the interim board in due course.
The corporation would also make a submission to the department on the Bill, it said.
The draft legislation seeks, among other things, to abolish TV licences and secure the SABC’s funding from other sources.
It is intended to align the broadcasting system with the country’s development goals.
The wide-ranging Bill provides, among other things, for the establishment of a Public Service Broadcasting Fund to provide revenue for public service broadcasting.
It further provides for an international broadcasting services division within the SABC, the revision of the composition of the corporation’s board, and a performance management system for the board.
It also outlines the mandate of the signal distribution company Sentech as the common carrier. The bill also provides for charters for the SABC and community broadcasting services.
Written submissions should be made by December 7 and sent to the Communications Department at Private Bag X860, Pretoria, 0001. — Sapa