Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) just came out very strongly on the government and the department of communications's proposed new Public Services Broadcasting Bill the minister of communications, Siphiwe Nyanda, seems dead-set to rush through cabinet and parliament to make it law.
On the eNews Channel (DStv 403) William Bird from the watchdog and independent public pressure group and think tank, came out with very strongly worded language just now in an interview on the eNews Channel's prime time news bulletin NewsNight with Jeremy Maggs.
''In its current format it will make him a super minister and it will give him powers that are unprecedented and that I think quite frankly are unconstitutional,'' said William Bird.
''I think it will have a very significant impact on the editorial integrity of the public service broadcaster. And if it goes through in its current format, it will be a significant step backwards for our democracy.''
William Bird said that ''the bizarre thing about it, of going through a policy review process, is that there is suddenly a bill and [NOW] there is one other opportunity for comment before it becomes law . . . [WHICH] is a very dangerous precedent being set.''
''Read the bill. The powers that he has are quite extraordinary. And among them they are repeating errors they have seen before. Among them - the big fights we have seen over the last year and a half - is who has the power to fire the CEO [of the SABC]. That same error is repeated.''
''I think one of the greatest pit falls [about introducing a tax to fund the SABC] is people need to at least get a sense of buy-in for it. When it comes to the SABC – one of the reasons I believe there is such resistance to this – is because of the enormous dent to the credibility of the SABC. And until we start to restore that value to it - people start to see its value - they're fighting a losing battle here.''
