Public Broadcast Bill needs more time

More time is needed for the public to submit changes to the proposed Public Service Broadcasting Bill, Media Monitoring Africa said in a statement on Tuesday.

"We are asking the department of communications for a reasonable extension to the deadline for public submissions on the bill," the watchdog's director William Bird said in a statement.

The deadline should be moved to March 31, 2010 instead of December 7, he said.

"It would be in the interests of the public to have more time to discuss and address the controversial proposals included in the bill."

It contained suggestions for a number of changes, including new charters for the SABC and community broadcasting.

Bird said the department had not defined its proposals clearly.

"In particular, its proposal that broadcasting should be aligned with a 'developmental state' begs the question as to whether broadcasting will remain independent."

The bill introduces fundamental shifts to the broadcasting funding environment. It calls for the scrapping of TV licence fees and for amendments to the Income Tax Act to ensure that up to one percent of personal income tax is set aside for broadcasting.

Media Monitoring Africa wanted the department not to rush public submissions for the proposed legislation, given the complexity of the changes.

Department spokeswoman Samantha Bloem was not immediately available for comment.

Public Broadcast Bill needs more time