On 20 July 2009, in government gazette 32420, Government Notice 755 of 2009 (the Notice), the Department of Communications (the DoC) published in terms of section 3(1) of the Electronic Communications Act 36 of 2005 (the EC Act), a notice inviting interested persons to furnish comments on the Public Service Broadcasting discussion paper (the discussion paper), to amend the Broadcasting Act 4 of 1999 as amended (the Broadcasting Act).The closing date for written representations was 31 August 2009. The NAB made a written submission in this regard.

On 10 July 2009, the Authority published in Notice number 941, Government Gazette number 32370, dated 10 July 2009, its intention to prescribe Interconnection Regulations (the draft regulations) in terms of section 4 and 38 of the Electronic Communications Act 36 of 2005 (the EC Act), read with section 4(3) (j) of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa Act 13 of 2000 as amended (the ICASA Act). The draft regulations are accompanied by Annexure A, containing the explanatory notes for the draft regulations. The Authority commenced the process of draft Interconnection Regulations in 2007, when a notice inviting interested persons to submit written representations to its intention to prescribe interconnection regulations was published. This process culminated in the Authority publishing the second draft of the interconnection regulations on 24 December 2007. The outcome of the second draft of the draft regulations was satisfactory to the NAB, and the broadcasting sector as a whole, as the second draft had captured the key concerns of the broadcasting sector on interconnection. However, in the latest draft of the regulations, ICASA reneged on it previous position of exempting broadcasting service licencees from the application of the interconnection regulations. This necessitated the NAB making a written submission. The closing date for written representations was 25 August 2009.

On 13 July 2009, the Authority published in government gazette number 32402 a notice of its intention to amend its: a. Standard Terms and Conditions Regulations for Individual Licences (draft Individual T&C amendments); b. Standard Terms and Conditions Regulations for Class Licences (draft Class T&C amendments); c. Processes and Procedures for Individual Licences and Processes (draft P&P amendments) and; d. Procedures for Class Licences (draft P&P amendments). These draft regulations amendments sought to amend: a. Standard Terms and Conditions Regulations for Individual Licences (Individual T&C amendments) published in government gazette 30530 of 2007; b. Standard Terms and Conditions Regulations for Class Licences (Class T&C amendments) published in government gazette 30512 of 2007; c. Processes and Procedures for Individual Licences and Processes (P&P amendments) published in government gazette 30916 of 2008 and; d. Procedures for Class Licences (P&P amendments) published in government gazette 30914 of 2008. The closing date for written submission was 24 August 2009.

On 10 July 2009, the Authority published in Notice number 941, Government Gazette number 32370, dated 10 July 2009, its intention to prescribe Interconnection Regulations (the draft regulations) in terms of section 4 and 38 of the Electronic Communications Act 36 of 2005 (the EC Act), read with section 4(3) (j) of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa Act 13 of 2000 as amended (the ICASA Act). The draft regulations are accompanied by Annexure A, containing the explanatory notes for the draft regulations. The Authority commenced the process of draft Interconnection Regulations in 2007, when a notice inviting interested persons to submit written representations to its intention to prescribe interconnection regulations was published. This process culminated in the Authority publishing the second draft of the interconnection regulations on 24 December 2007. The outcome of the second draft of the draft regulations was satisfactory to the NAB, and the broadcasting sector as a whole, as the second draft had captured the key concerns of the broadcasting sector on interconnection. However, in the latest draft of the regulations, ICASA reneged on it previous position of exempting broadcasting service licencees from the application of the interconnection regulations. This necessitated the NAB making a written submission. The closing date for written representations was 25 August 2009.

How the television landscape has changed and will change in the short-term past and future.

The objectives of these regulations are to: (a) regulate the transition of terrestrial television broadcasting services from analogue transmission to digital terrestrial television (DTT); (b) prescribe a procedure and conditions for the assignment of the DTT multiplexes; (c) provide for the allocation of channel capacity and procedure for the authorisation to operate a digital incentive channel; (d) set out the time frames for the rollout of the digital terrestrial television throughout the Republic.

Audience measurement plays an important role for advertisers and broadcasters. Firstly, it helps to provide broadcasters with information relating to the viewing patterns of customers, and as a result informs decisions on programmes, scheduling advertising rates. Secondly, it allows advertisers to understand viewing patterns allowing informed decisions to be made on where to place advertisements to reach the correct target audience at the lowest cost.

On 13 February 2009, the Authority published in notice number 172 of 2009,  government gazette number 31903 (the notice), a notice of its intention to make regulations and Code of Advertising Practice setting out the standards, practice and prohibitions in advertising, sponsorships and other forms of commercial prohibition by radio and television broadcasting service licencees (the draft regulations). The draft regulations are made in terms of section 4 read with section 55(1)(2)(3) and section 95 of the Electronic Communications Act 36 of 2005 (the EC Act). Section 55 enjoins all broadcasting licencees to adhere to the Code of Advertising Practice as administered by the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa. Subsequently, the Authority published in government gazette 32014, an explanatory memorandum outlining the Authority’s rationale or thinking on the issues raised in the draft regulations. This came as a result of the concerns that arose in a workshop the Authority held on 30 March 2009. In the workshop, stakeholders expressed their dismay in the way in which the draft regulations have deviated from the 1999 ICASA Advertising, Infomercials and Programme Sponsorships Regulations (the 1999 Regulations), and requested the Authority to provide the reasoning behind the deviation.

The purpose of these Regulations is to prescribe ­- (a) the administrative fees payable in respect of an application or registration for a licence, amendment, transfer or renewal as contemplated in sections 4(1 Xc)(iv) and 4(1 )(c)(v) of the Act; and (b) The annual licence fees payable by licensees as contemplated in section 5(7) (a) (iii) of the Act.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa ("The Authority") hereby publishes the regulations in respect of general licence fees in terms of section 4(1) (c) (iv-v) and 5(7) (a) (iii) of the Electronic Communications Act 36 of 2005 contained herein.