The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has pledged its commitment to ensuring that commissioning of independently produced local films is non-partisan.
Last month, the country’s information and communications industry regulator published final Regulations and Position Paper on Commissioning of Independently Produced South African Programming.
The process was undertaken in terms of Sections 4 and 61(1) of the Electronic Communications Act read with Section 4(3)(j) of the ICASA Act of 2000.
“The purpose of the regulations is to ensure that commissioning practices are fair, transparent and non discriminatory,” said spokesperson Josias Mathiba.
The regulations introduce the requirement for broadcasting service licensees to submit to the Authority for approval commissioning protocols in order to enable the Authority to monitor the commissioning practices of independently produced South African programming and to ensure that the same is conducted in a manner that is fair, transparent and non-discriminatory.
The Authority makes this finding, taking into account the varying license conditions of the broadcasting service licensees and the provisions of the Television Content Regulations of 2006.
by Mthulisi Sibanda
