South Africa’s Department of Communications (DoC) has had what it describes “a meaningful engagement’ with public service broadcaster SABC, free-to-air (FTA) commercial broadcaster e.tv and other FTA broadcasters to review the options available to fast tracking the implementation of the digital terrestrial television (DTT) in the country.
This meeting was a follow up to the gathering that took place on 14 January 2013 to consider the implications of implementing the South Gauteng High Court decision to grant broadcasters the right to control conditional access in State-subsidised set-top boxes (decoders), subject to industry regulator ICASA’s authority.
A DoC statement released on 29 January reads: “Broadcasters made their independent recommendations to the DoC and the DoC is now reviewing all the input and will decide on the way forward.
“The DoC is pleased with the level of engagement from all the parties and the importance they attached to ensuring that DTT avoids unnecessary delays. We remain committed to engaging the industry and are open to meeting the broadcasters at an earlier date should that be necessary.
“All the parties agreed that ICASA is a key player in creating certainty in the rollout of digital migration. ICASA committed itself to fulfilling all its responsibilities within its mandate.’
