The government wants to repeal the Broadcast Law of 1999.
''We would like to restate our position that the crisis at the SABC is as much a management crisis as a financial crisis. Even though the independent production sector has borne the brunt of the crisis, is still owed millions of rands by the SABC and is buckling under the effects of a cut-back in commissioning of local content.''
''We strongly believed that changing the financial funding model without reviewing the operations and management of the organization is akin to throwing good money after bad. We believe that the present crisis should be separated from the long term issues of funding public broadcasting,'' says the TVIEC.
''The SABC is not going to trade itself out of its present financial difficulties and needs a bail-out regardless of what happens with public broadcasting funding in the long-term. Moreover, any financial model will fail without competent leadership.''
''In addition, the bill suggests adding further institutions into the broadcasting environment either as oversight bodies or as funding bodies. The TVIEC believes that organizations such as ICASA should be strengthened rather than undermined. Like the SABC, they need inspired and competent leadership and sufficient resources to do their work. Merely adding more organizations will not provide the necessary leadership that is needed.''
''What we have witnessed is a serious lack of professional skills and the required leadership abilities that allow independent public institutions to be sufficiently effective.''
''In addition, the TVIEC is extremely concerned about the loss of autonomy for the public broadcaster suggested by the bill.''
The TVIEC says more time is needed to debate the bill. ''To rush through the changes without meaningful participation from the public and broadcast industry stakeholders will be disastrous.''
