STAATSKOERANT, 24 JANUARIE 2014
No. 37261
While considering the effectiveness of existing provisions, it is also crucial to look at how a
policy framework can ensure continued and enhanced availability of South African content in
a multi-channel and convergent environment.
8.12 Diversity of Content
One of the cornerstones of South Africa's broadcasting related policies is diversity of
content; different types of content in different languages, from different sources, at a
national, provincial and local level. The policy framework emphasises and encourages this
through, amongst other things, the three tier system, South African content and music
requirements and the emphasis on news and information programming. Diversity of
ownership, content offering and services are critical considerations in decisions on licensing.
The EC Act states that broadcasting services collectively should "promote the provision and
development of a diverse range of sound and television broadcasting services" to meet the
needs of all audiences.
Digitisation and convergence create more opportunities to further the principle of diversity audiences will be able to access a wide range of content, across different platforms and
channels packaged by South African and international traditional broadcasters as well as
audio-visual and audio material generated by users and other content providers. Audiences
will have increased opportunities to choose when, how, where and what content they view
and listen to. The audio-visual industry will at the same time be able to explore new services
and innovative ways to reach audiences. New technologies are also increasingly reshaping
the relationship between audiences and content providers - enabling suppliers to get to
know their audiences better and match content more closely to their needs. A much more
engaged and intense relationship with audiences is possible.
Experiences in other countries have however shown that this abundance of content
distributed over a range of platforms can threaten, for example, the development and
distribution of unique programming and the cultural and linguistic diversity of content.
Threats to the viability of South African broadcasters and audio and audio-visual content
producers can result, for example, in an emphasis on "tried and tested" entertainment
formats that appeal to a mass audience, rather than promote innovation and creativity and
an emphasis on local issues. The proliferation of 24-hour news services around the world,
for example has been charged with increased homogeneity rather than diversity - with
different news providers focusing on the same stories and using the same images and audio
clips, rather than actually increasing the range of sources and perspectives available to
audiences.
Content providers (both traditional broadcasters and others) may also feel increased
pressure to appeal to broader audiences and therefore not focus on reflecting and
celebrating local cultural diversity and covering issues of local importance in local dialects
and languages. Alternative voices moreover might be drowned out by big global companies.
A policy framework needs to address these issues.
8.12.1 Promoting access to public interest content in a converged environment
The importance of ensuring easy access across all platforms and devices to public interest
content becomes increasingly important in a converged environment. This will be a key
means to ensure that South African audiences continue to be able to access content that is
relevant to them and meets the key cultural, social, linguistic and economic needs identified
in the policy objectives.
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