An Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) moratorium on issuing new community broadcasting licenses in the province is hindering the progress of the Eastern Cape’s first community television station.
An Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) moratorium on issuing new community broadcasting licenses in the province is hindering the progress of the Eastern Cape’s first community television station.
Eastern Cape Community Television (ECCTV) has been in the pipeline for over a year and is still in the early stages of planning and implementation. According to Noxolo Mtana, sector manager in the investment promotion unit at the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), the initiative is facing a few challenges.
“The other challenge is that of financing,” said Mtana. The project is a non-profit organisation community media initiative. Mtana explained that the ECDC envisions funding from advertisements, sponsorships, grants, airtime sales and through corporate social investment. However before any funding can be obtained, the moratorium has to be removed. Mtana said that ECDC has been given no indication regarding when the moratorium would be lifted.
Earlier last year, parties from different districts in the Eastern Cape proposed the introduction of a television station intended for civic development known as ECCTV. The project is being managed by ECDC in partnership with the Media Development Agency.
The Eastern Cape Provincial Government views the rural character of the region as an opportunity for economic growth which can be boosted through broadcasting and ICT. ECCTV aims to broadcast information that will aid civic decisions in industry, politics, agriculture and transport. The long term vision of the project is to increase access to information in the province, using communications and technology infrastructure to boost economic growth.
The ECDC has set up a project steering committee with the task of formulating a strategic plan for the project coordinating all the interested parties to ensure the effective implementation of the community television station.
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