The government - specifically the Department of Communications has a new proposed bill out, called the Public Services Broadcasting Bill. If it becomes law, it will repeal the Broadcasting Act of 1999.
The bill contains dramatic and far reaching changes that will mean a vast seachange and the biggest overhaul of public broadcasting in this country since the SABC switched on it's television signal in 1976.
Here's the MAJOR IMPLICATIONS about what government wants to do in the bill of 80 pages:
*Scrap TV licences immediately. Taxpayers should now contribute at least 1% of their personal income tax to fund the development of TV broadcasting in South Africa.
*Increased power by the minister of communications over the SABC, especially the SABC board.
*The creation of a so-called Public Services Broadcasting Fund (PSB) that will pay for public broadcasting (eg. the SABC).
*The creation of a brand-new International Broadcasting Services (IBS) division within the SABC and the transfer of channels like Channel Africa and SABC News International to this division. The IBS will have to adhere to South Africa's official foreign policy regarding Africa, in the matter of ''development, reconstruction, peace and stability".
*Making SABC News International available as a free TV channel to all South Africans, which currently has only limited satellite broadcasting capability.
*The creation of a new body called Local Content Advisory Body which will determine - and then advise the minister - on the amount and type of local TV content in the country and ''how that can be improved''.
*The establishment of a new Broadcasting and Signal distribution Museum.
*A new performance review system to measure the performance of the SABC board.
*Power to the minister to order investigations at the SABC, and the ability to ''replace or remove SABC board members''.
*The approval and creation of a number of specialist TV channels for South Africa - not necessarily by the SABC - that will focus on youth programming, ethnic documentary programming and nature documentary programming.
*Ordering more local TV content for all broadcasters in the country.
*The creation of regional TV channels by the SABC with money that provincial legislatures must contribute to.
*The creation of more TV channels, specifically by the SABC during the process of digital migration that include:
Youth
Health
Sport
Small business support
Parliamentary services
Interactive government information
