Communications Minister Roy Padayachie said on Friday that it was necessary to “speedily” complete the review of the Public Service Broadcasting Bill, to enhance the technical rigour, credibility and sustainability of South Africa’s broadcasting policy environment.

At the end of the 2010/11 financial year, Padayachie withdrew the draft Public Service Broadcasting Bill and requested that a process be instituted to ensure that further work was completed.

This included the review of the White Paper on Broadcasting of 1998, comprising an environmental scan of the broadcasting legislation and regulations in place to ensure policy and legislative alignment and consistency, and a review of research done on funding options for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and community media.

He said such a review was also necessary in ensuring that the view that the public broadcaster is “State broadcaster” is dispelled. “It’s time to clear the decks and create a new institution through an open process,” the Minister said at a New Age business briefing, in Sandton.

Padayachie said the SABC did have an effective turnaround strategy in place, but was not yet “out of the woods”.

“We need to assist this institution, as well as reduce expenditures, increase revenue and get the leadership right.”

A draft report on preliminary financial modelling to determine the funding needs of the public and community broadcasting services has been completed and produced.

The Minister said a due diligence on the White Paper on Broadcasting of 1998, has started and a report will be produced soon.

A process is currently under way to appoint a service provider to undertake a comprehensive market study to inform the content of the policy.

The market study will look at issues including, among others, market typology and trends and the role, performance and sustainability of the three tiers of the broadcasting system - public, community and commercial, broadcasting.

It will also focus on national developmental, particularly on matters relating to access to broadcasting services by the public, particularly in the rural areas, as well as treatment of, and access to content of national interest.

Further, it will look into future scenarios and digital broadcasting migration implications.

“The above matters will be looked at against international trends so that the new policy is benchmarked with some leading countries with socioeconomic profiles similar to South Africa,” Padayachie said.

With regard to Telkom, Padayachie said the telecommunications provider was an important instrument for implementing government policy. But, the company needed to come to the party with regard to creating access to, and rolling out of broadband in rural areas.

The South African government has a 39.8% stake in Telkom, making it the largest shareholder, while the Public Investment Corporation, an investment management company wholly owned by the government, has a 10.9% share.

“We are mindful of Telkom as an entity, but it also remains a key vehicle of expression for public policy,” Padayachie said.