of the digital migration process.” The Minister said consultation with industry players also deliberated at length about the use or non-use of the access system on STBs. “As you well know, the contestation led to the court challenge and decision that brought the then Minister to a halt in December 2013. “As a result, I am sure you will also understand that to pave a way ahead under those circumstances would require great caution and consultation with all stakeholders and parties involved. “This is because the issue of control access or no control access will undoubtedly have a major impact on the STB and IDTV production industry and the future of broadcast communication for the majority of citizens in this country.” Minister Muthambi said she had considered all the concerns that were raised from both sides and was very close to making a recommendation to the Cabinet.
Communications Minister Faith Muthambi is working hard to ensure the migration from analogue signal to digital gains momentum.
The Minister said despite the outstanding policy matter of the use of control access, the DTT project team
major communications campaign on digital migration.
– comprising of government and industry experts –
The Minister said the mandate of her department had
was finalising a number of matters. These related to
expanded due to the Broadcasting Act being assigned to
network readiness, regulatory aspects, standards of
her authority, and this necessitated more funding.
STBs, manufacturing and distribution capabilities, the
“The mandate of government communications has ex-
readiness of broadcasters to deliver digital content and
panded. We are going to digital migration. We will need
the launching of an extensive public awareness cam-
more funding for us to have more content because digi-
paign to inform South African about DTT.
tal migration is about increasing more content. That will need a lot of funding.
DTT communications campaign
“Secondly, we have the responsibility to also support
When she briefed the Portfolio Committee on Com-
and empower community media so it is one of our re-
munications on the DTT project, the Minister said her
sponsibilities to ensure that for this community media to
department would need more funding to roll-out a
be empowered, there will need to be a lot of funding >>
Public Sector Manager • February 2015
77