Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This is a qualitative study on the question whether regional television can be feasible in South
Africa with particular reference to the official process to introduce regional television (RTV), the
various reports and opinions on the subject, new technological developments and the exploration
of alternatives. It is an effort to make a contribution towards the debate about how the public
broadcaster can deliver better dedicated services to the diverse language groups of the country
wherever they live, while also keeping pace with the challenges of an ever changing global
digital world.
The study indicated that various public broadcasters internationally struggled to find a
financially viable model for regional television to serve diverse communities. The general option
was the use of “windows” – specific limited time allocated on national networks for regional
break-aways. Yet, increasingly technology provided answers but still at a relative expensive fee
for the average citizen. In South Africa the windows model was implemented for a limited
period between 1996 and 2003. It was discontinued because of lack of financial support from the
state.
The researcher indicates how the process to implement regional television already started
with transformation envisaged in the Independent Broadcasting Authority Act of 1993 through to
the Broadcast Amendment Act of 2003 instructing the SABC to apply within nine months to the
Independent Broadcasting Authority of South Africa (ICASA) for regional licenses that “should
reflect the diversity of all sections of the population and represent the plurality of views and
opinions of the audience” (ICASA, 2003a:11).
ICASA published its Discussion Paper on Regional Television in September 2003 inviting
comments while emphasizing the importance of serving the various language groups and
providing local content. It recognised the problems concerning funding. Its Position Paper was
released in November 2003. ICASA clearly took the view that the introduction of regional
services in the various (especially marginalised) languages were imperative and that it had to be
offered to the exclusion of English. The state had to fund the services while advertising would
not be permitted. The study was approached within the framework of normative mass media theories, and in
particular the developmental theory. Through content analysis the ICASA documents and the
SABC’s application for RTV in December 2003 was assessed and the stark points of difference
indicated, such as the use of English, local content (especially drama) and advertising income.
By using the methodology of in-depth interviews and a social survey based on a structured
questionnaire more information and perspective was gained.
In its application for regional television the SABC suggested two channels for 10 indigenous
languages in the nine provinces delivered through the outdated but cheaper analogue technology.
Throughout 2004 ICASA and the SABC communicated in letters and at hearings to resolve
differences without much success.
The SABC’s main concerns remained funding and the lack of capacity and skills to offer
the services required. ICASA decided in June 2005 to grant the SABC two regional licenses
without issuing it until the funding issue could be resolved with the state. It relented to allow
some advertising but remained opposed to the use of English.
Towards the end of the study the researcher gives an overview of the fast developing
international trends in digital broadcasting. Various options to serve regional communities are
offered. News reports on international trends and the opinions of experts are then related to the
situation in South Africa. One conclusion is that the state and the country would have to weigh
up the cost of subsidising regional television to other pressing social needs of citizens. It
appeared that the cost would be too high in the short term. Preparations for the staging of the
2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa might lay the foundation for more sophisticated and
affordable services later. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie is ʼn kwalitatiewe studie van die proses om streekstelevisie in Suid-Afrika in te stel, ʼn
bespreking van die verskillende verslae en menings oor die onderwerp, nuwe tegnologiese
ontwikkelings en die oorweging van alternatiewe. Dit is ʼn poging om ʼn bydrae te maak tot die
debat oor hoe die openbare uitsaaier beter en meer toegewyde dienste kan lewer aan die
verskillende taalgroepe in die land, waar hulle woon. Terselfdertyd moet ook tred gehou word
met die uitdagings van ʼn steeds veranderende internasionale digitale wêreld.
Die studie dui aan dat openbare uitsaaiers wêreldwyd sukkel om ʼn lewensvatbare
finansiële model vir die lewering van streekstelevisie aan verskillende gemeenskappe te vind.
Die algemene keuse was die gebruik van “vensters” – dit is die toekenning van beperkte
spesifieke tydsgleuwe op nasionale netwerke vir streekuitsendings. Tog begin tegnologie al hoe
meer antwoorde verskaf, maar nog steeds teen redelike duur tariewe vir die deursnee-burger. Die
venster-model van streekstelevisie is vir ʼn beperkte tyd van 1996 tot 2003 in Suid-Afrika
toegepas. Dit is gestaak weens gebrek aan geldelike ondersteuning van die staat.
Die navorser dui aan hoe die proses om streekstelevisie in te stel reeds begin het met die
transformasie wat in die vooruitsig gestel is in die Wet op die Onafhanklike Uitsaai-Owerheid
van 1993. Dit het later gelei tot die Uitsaai-Wysigingswetsonwerp van 2003. Daarin is die
SAUK beveel om binne nege maande by die Onafhanklike Kommunikasie-Owerheid van Suid-
Afrika (algemeen bekend as ICASA) om lisensies aansoek te doen vir streekstelevisie wat “die
diversitieit van alle seksies van die samelewing sal reflekteer en die verskillende sienings en
menings van die gehoor verteenwoordig” (ICASA, 2003a:11).
ICASA het sy Besprekingsdokument oor Streekstelevisie in September 2003 gepubliseer.
Daarin is klem gelê op die belangrikheid van dienslewering aan die verskillende taalgroepe en
die lewering van plaaslike inhoud. Die kommentaar van belanghebbendes is gevra. In die
dokument het ICASA erkenning gegee aan die struikelblokke rakende befondsing.
ICASA se Standpuntdokument is in November 2003 vrygestel. ICASA het onomwonde
verklaar dat die lewering van dienste aan die verskillende (maar veral aan die gemarginaliseerde)
taalgemeenskappe voorkeur moes geniet en dat Engels uitgesluit moes word. Die staat sou die
dienste moes finansier terwyl advertensies nie toegelaat sou word nie. Die ondersoek is benader binne die raamwerk van die normatiewe teorieë van massamedia
kommunikasie en veral die ontwikkelingsteorie. Deur inhouds-analise het die navorser ʼn
omvattende ontleding gedoen van die ICASA dokumente en van die SAUK se aansoek vir
streekstelevisie. Die aansoek is in Desember 2003 by ICASA ingedien. Die skerp verskille met
ICASA is uitgewys, naamlik die gebruik van Engels in die dienste, die lewering van plaaslike
inhoud (veral drama) en oor advertensie-inkomste. Die navorser het die metode van diepteonderhoude
en ʼn openbare menings-ondersoek, gegrond op ʼn gestruktureerde vraelys, gebruik
om meer inligting en perspektiewe te bekom.
Die SAUK het twee kanale vir streekstelevisie voorgestel vir die tien inheemse tale in die
nege provinsies. Dit sou gelewer word met die goedkoper, maar uitgediende analoog-tegnologie.
In 2004 het ICASA en die SAUK deurlopend gekommunikeer in briewe en by openbare verhore
in ʼn poging om verskille te oorbrug, maar sonder veel sukses. Deurgaans was die SAUK
bekommerd oor die kwessie van befondsing en die beskikbaarheid van bronne en vaardighede
om sulke dienste aan te bied. ICASA het in Junie 2005 besluit om twee lisensies vir
streekstelevisie aan die SAUK toe te ken, maar dit is nie uitgereik nie, hangende duidelikheid oor
finansiering van die staat. Die owerheid het skiet gegee oor die geskil rondom advertensies, maar
voet by stuk gehou dat Engelse uitsendings nie toegelaat sou word nie.
Aan die einde van die studie gee die navorser ʼn oorsig van die vinnig ontwikkelende
internasionale digitale tegnologiese tendense in die uitsaaiwese en die moontlikhede wat dit vir
streeksgemeenskappe bied. Nuusberigte oor internasionale ontwikkelings en die menings van
deskundiges word in verband gebring met streekstelevisie in Suid-Afrika. Een gevolgtrekking is
dat die land die koste van subsidies vir streekstelevisiedienste sal moet opweeg teen die
dringende maatskaplike behoeftes van burgers. Die het geblyk dat sulke subsidies te duur sou
wees in die korter termyn. Voorbereidings vir die aanbied van die Wêreldbeker Sokkertoernooi
in 2010 kan die basis skep om later wel meer gesofistikeerde en bekostigbare streeksdienste te
lewer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/19648 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Robinson, F. J. |
| Contributors | Rabe, Lizette, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | x, 189 leaves : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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