The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has
announced that it has conditionally granted five licences for individual
commercial subscription broadcasting services. Although the conditions imposed
are specific to each of the five applicants, they generally relate to, amongst
others, confirmation of equity ownership, funding requirements, further
research, confirmation of local content and programming content agreements.
On 2 February 2012, ICASA published an Invitation to Apply (ITA), for individual
commercial subscription broadcasting service licences. The ITA was issued in
terms of the law governing the licensing of broadcasting services i.e. Electronic
Communications Act, 2005 (the Act).
By the closing date of the ITA, the Authority had received five applications in
response to the ITA and conducted public hearings from 24 to 26 July 2013 at
ICASA’s offices in Sandton.
The licences have been granted to:
• Close-T Broadcast Network Holdings (Pty) Ltd;
• Mindset Media Enterprises (Pty) Ltd;
• Mobile TV (Pty) Ltd;
• Kagiso TV (Pty) Ltd; and
• Siyaya Free To Air (Pty) Ltd.
These applicants have been given a period of three months to comply with the
conditions, ICASA says.
