ICASA, independence and government

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dominic

Legal Expert: Telecoms
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excellent article on the ICASA amendment bill currently awaiting presidential approval

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/opinion.aspx?ID=BD4A163355

Although SA now has one regulator for broadcasting and telecoms, it is a historical oddity that the authority has always had less independence in dealing with telecoms than it has had with broadcasting. Is it just a coincidence that in telecoms, where government has a leading hand, we have been less than successful in delivering cheap and universal services, whereas broadcasting has provided a story of empowerment, diversification and growth?
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While no one was looking, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) rewrote the bill, restoring the bits government officials wanted in and nobody else did, despite the fact that the issues had nothing to do with provincial powers and were beyond the purview of the NCOP.
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Snakes in the grass.

I loved the bit about the useless minister being able to conduct performance reviews on Icasa counselors, hehehe. Q: When last did this useless old fart get a review and by whom.
 
Although SA now has one regulator for broadcasting and telecoms, it is a historical oddity that the authority has always had less independence in dealing with telecoms than it has had with broadcasting. Is it just a coincidence that in telecoms, where government has a leading hand, we have been less than successful in delivering cheap and universal services, whereas broadcasting has provided a story of empowerment, diversification and growth?
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Where? Do they mean in news? Or what. I switch on the radio - I hear SABC (FM being the dominant channel.) I switch on the tv and I see SABC - with a dash of E (who sabc do their best to destroy) - as to DSTV, Multichoice - not!!! Where is the empowerment, diversification and growth? Am I living in the same country - seems not? :mad:
 
kilo39 said:
Where? Do they mean in news? Or what. I switch on the radio - I hear SABC (FM being the dominant channel.) I switch on the tv and I see SABC - with a dash of E (who sabc do their best to destroy) - as to DSTV, Multichoice - not!!! Where is the empowerment, diversification and growth? Am I living in the same country - seems not? :mad:
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relative to telecomms broadcasting has been a beacon of progressive sanity but it does suffer from many of the same problems

but, as you note, that may be like saying that relative to a broken leg a dislocated thumb is wonderful.....................
 
@Kilo39:

94.7, 5fm, ClassicFm, Metro etc

Radio has shown what is possible. TV has too much regulatory insanity. Research what eTV had to go through to get a license and also how the revenue collected from your TV license is distributed.

Peace.
 
Aah, I remember now - SABC is supposed to be independant?!

94.7, 5fm, ClassicFm, Metro etc

Yup - you right. Except I don't listen to any of these - except Good Hope late friday, saturday nights. Given up on 5. Other station - listening too over powercuts - CapeTalk (702?) - but only get this on MW - which my machine knocks out as soon as its running. To me - we live in a media desert - thank goodness for internet - no thanks to telkom. :mad:
 
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