I can be first to bring you e.tv's reaction after the minister of communications, Siphiwe Nyanda sacked the full Digital Dzonga advisory council yesterday, tasked to advise him about South Africa's digital TV migration process, known as digital terrestrial television (DTT). Minister Siphiwe Nyanda cited a ''conflict of interest'' under council members who served on the Digital Dzonga for the past two years.
Bronwyn Keene-Young, group chief operating officer (COO) of e.tv says: ''e.tv understood the idea of the Digital Dzonga was to include representatives of the industries affected by digital migration. This is in accordance with the approach taken by other countries who have executed a successful migration to digital TV. So we are uncertain about the view that there is now a conflict of interest as - by its very nature - a body that represents the industry will be constituted of members who have direct interests in the industry.''
''e.tv cannot comment further until more information is forthcoming on the constitution of the new council. However, e.tv would like to stress that the success of any digital migration process is critically dependent on the active involvement of the broadcasting industry as it is broadcasters that will inevitably drive the conversion to digital television.''
M-Net's reaction.
THE FULL PRESS RELEASE from the department of communications.
