Documents
Digital Terrestrial Television Regulations
NAB report on the Future of TV and Levy Proposal - Audience Measurement
NAB Submission on the Draft Regulations on Code of Advertising Practise
General Licence Fee Regulations
General licences fees
Second Round of Comments for Draft General Licence Fees Regulations
Commissioning of Independently produced SA programming
On 7 November 2008, in government gazette 31580, Notice 1388 of 2008 (the Notice), the Authority published in terms of section 61(1) of the Electronic Communications Act 36 of 2005, a notice of its intention to make regulations for Commissioning of independently produced South African Programming (the Regulations).
In terms of section 61(1) of the EC Act, the Authority is required to prescribe regulations applicable to broadcasting service licencees regarding the commissioning of independently produced South African programming.
Terrestrial Broadcast Frequency Plan
The ECA mandates ICASA to prepare the national radio frequency plan within twelve months of the coming into effect of the Act. Subsequent to that, ICASA is in terms of section 34(5), required to update and amend the national radio frequency plan when necessary in order to keep the plan current.
Consequently, the Authority is required to give notice in a government gazette, of its intention to prepare a national radio frequency plan, and to further invite interested parties to submit written representation in response thereto. On 07 November 2008, ICASA invited interested parties to provide written representations on the draft Terrestrial Broadcast Frequency Plan, the closing date for the submission of such written representations is 16 January 2009.
General Licence Fees Regulations
On 24 October 2008, the Authority published draft regulations in respect of General Licence Fees in Government Gazette 31542. The draft regulations are drafted in terms of section 4(1) (c)(iv-v) and 5(7)(a)(iii) of the Electronic Communications Act. (The EC Act). The closing date for written submissions being 05 December 2008.
The draft general licence fees regulations gazetted by ICASA on 24 October 2008, if applied in their current form will handicap the financial viability of the broadcasting industry as a whole. For instance, the Authority proposes a leap frog from R30 000 in respect of amendment fees for sound broadcasting services to R250 000. The NAB is of the view that the proposed licence fees are prohibitive in nature, and pose as a barrier to entry