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Date : 26/05/2004
Source: Independent Communications Authority of South Africa
Title: L Mtimde: Launch of Icasa report


ADDRESS BY COUNCILLOR LUMKO MTIMDE, LAUNCH OF ICASA REPORT ON "BROADCASTERS' COVERAGE OF THE 2004 GENERAL ELECTIONS", 26 May 2004

Good morning

1. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

Representatives of the Independent Electoral Commission ("the IEC"), the Presidency, various Government Departments, political parties, the Advertising Standards Authority ("the ASA"), Broadcasters, Journalists, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa ("the Authority") is pleased to announce the publication today of the Authority's Report on the Coverage of the 2004 General Elections by Broadcasting Licensees.

The Authority is empowered in terms of sections 58, 59, 60 and 61 of the Independent Broadcasting Authority Act, No.153 of 1993 ("the IBA Act") to monitor Party Election Broadcasts ("PEBs"), Political Advertisements ("PAs"), and the equitable treatment of political parties by broadcasting licensees during the election period.

The Council of the Authority established an Elections Committee ("the Committee") to deal with the monitoring of broadcasting licensees' coverage of the 2004 general elections. The Committee of Council included representatives from the Policy Development and Research Department, the Legal Department and the Broadcasting Division.

The Council was represented by Councillors Lumko Mtimde (Chairperson of the Committee), Nadia Bulbulia and Mamodupi Mohlala. The management team consisted of Mr Pfanani Lishivha (Project Manager), Lydia Jordaan (Broadcasting Division), Ms Keitumetse Setshedi (Legal Advisor), Ms Aurelia Mazibuko (Policy, Regulations and Guidelines Advisor), and Ms Judicia Monyela (Policy, Regulations and Guidelines Advisor).

The Authority promulgated regulations governing the broadcast of PEBs and PAs by sound broadcasting licensees during the 2004 General Elections. The Regulations were promulgated under section 78 (1) of the IBA Act, on 10 February 2004 (Gazette No. 26006). The Authority also published guidelines relating to the equitable treatment of political parties by broadcasting licensees (both sound and television broadcasting licensees) during the 2004 election period.

The Authority's Project Team conducted workshops with broadcasting licensees from 19 January to 07 April 2004 in all provinces. Workshops were also conducted with the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism ("IAJ") and the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa ("NEMISA").

In line with the spirit of African Renaissance and in pursuit of the objectives of the African Communications Regulatory Authorities Network ("ACRAN/RIARC") and NEPAD, workshops were also conducted with the Southern African Broadcasters Association ("SABA"), and the regulatory authorities of Malawi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mauritius.

The monitoring of broadcasters' coverage of the 2004 elections commenced on Monday 16 February 2004 and ceased on Saturday 17 April 2004. A total of 102 broadcasting licensees were monitored: 69 community sound broadcasting licensees, 16 public sound broadcasting services, 13 commercial sound broadcasting licensees, and 4 television broadcasting licensees.

2. WHAT THE AUTHORITY MONITORED

Sound Broadcasting Licensees
* Party Election Broadcasts;
* Political Advertisements;
* Public Service Announcements;
* News Bulletins;
* Current Affairs programmes; and
* Special Election Broadcasts.

Television Broadcasting Licensees
* SABC 1: Nguni News (isiNdebele, Siswati, isiXhosa, and isiZulu); Asikhulume/Let's Talk; and Walala wasala;
* SABC 2: Sotho News (Sesotho, Setswana, and Sepedi); Tshivenda News; Xitsonga News; Afrikaans News; Morning Live; Democracy 10; Fokus/Focus; and Special Election Broadcasts;
* SABC 3: News Headlines (17h25); News at 7; and Interface; and
* (e.tv): Morning Edition; News Headlines (18h00); e.news live; and Special Election Broadcasts.

3. PARTY ELECTION BROADCASTS

The IBA Act defines a Party Election Broadcast ("PEB") as a direct address or message broadcast free of charge on a broadcasting service and which is intended or calculated to advance the interests of any particular political party.1 PEBs offer each political party contesting the elections an opportunity to reach a large audience, to send out the message of the party's programme and the party's bid for support.

The IBA Act permits the broadcasting of PEBs only during an election period.2 Section 59 of the IBA Act authorises the broadcast of PEBs on sound broadcasting services during election period.3

Public sound broadcasting services have an obligation to broadcast PEBs.4 Commercial and community sound broadcasting licensees are not obliged to broadcast PEBs, but if these licensees choose to broadcast PEBs, such a licensee is required to abide by the requirements of section 59 of the IBA Act.5

The Authority has exclusive responsibility for allocating to contesting political parties PEB slots on public sound broadcasting services and on any other commercial or community sound broadcasting licensee choosing to broadcast PEBs.

Political parties contesting the national and all nine provincial elections had their PEBs broadcast on all SABC stations, those contesting only national elections had their PEBs broadcast on 4 national stations, those contesting national and selected provincial elections had their PEBs broadcast on 4 national stations and on regional stations that broadcast in the relevant provinces, and political parties contesting only selected provincial elections had their PEBs broadcast on radio stations that broadcast in those provinces.

Sound broadcasting licensees that transmitted PEBs were required to make available, on every day throughout the election broadcast period, four time slots of two minutes each for the transmission of PEBs.

The Authority monitored 473 PEBs throughout the election broadcast period. The Authority would like to thank SABC radio stations for complying with the Authority's Regulations on the broadcast of PEBs.

4. POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENTS

The IBA Act defines political advertisement ("PA") as an advertisement broadcast on a broadcasting service which is intended or calculated to advance the interests of any particular political party, for which advertisement the relevant broadcasting licensee has received or is to receive, directly or indirectly, any money or other consideration.6

Section 60 of the IBA Act authorises the transmission of PAs on sound broadcasting services only during election period. Section 60(6) of the IBA Act prohibits the transmission of PAs during the final 48 hours prior to the commencement of the polling period

PAs were authorised to be broadcast by sound broadcasting licensees from 05h00 on 16 February 2004 to 05h59 on 12 April 2004. The Authority monitored 7 527 PAs throughout this period. The Authority would like to thank all sound broadcasting licensees who transmitted PAs for complying with the Authority's Regulations.

5. e.tv's SOAP BOX

The IBA Act is silent on the broadcasting of PAs and PEBs by television broadcasting licensees. The commercial television broadcasting licensee, e.tv, took a bold step of affording political parties contesting the elections an opportunity to spread messages, which were intended or calculated to advance the interests of those political parties. These messages were broadcast during e.tv's news bulletins. The Authority would like to commend e.tv for airing these messages in the absence of a legislative obligation to do so.

6. NEWS BULLETINS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS SHOWS

The Authority published guidelines, which were intended to outline a general approach to be adopted by broadcasting licensees in their coverage of the 2004 general elections. Broadcasting licensees were encouraged, in the public interest, to provide a full, impartial, and independent coverage of the elections.

The Authority does not intervene in the news and programming operations of the broadcasters. The role of broadcasters during elections does not differ from their normal journalistic role during non-election periods. Normal ethical considerations continue to apply during election period. A distinguishing feature of the election period is the obligation to achieve equitable coverage of political parties without abdicating news value judgements.

The Authority monitored 31 814 news items and 8 706 current affairs shows items related to the 2004 general elections from 16 February 2004 to 18 April 2004.

7. SPECIAL INFORMATION PROGRAMMES

Special information programmes may take the form of interviews with candidates or party representatives, panel discussion programmes with several candidates or representatives from different parties, or debates between various election contestants. Such programmes can be valuable in election campaign broadcasting both for informing the public about the positions of parties and candidates on issues of significance to the country and for allowing the contestants to speak directly to the public.

The Authority would like to commend SABC 2 for broadcasting a special programme titled "Democracy 10". It was a programme aimed at reflecting South Africa to itself as South Africa marked its first decade of democracy and third national election in a free South Africa.

The Authority would also like to commend broadcasting licensees for broadcasting live from different polling stations throughout the day on polling day. The live broadcasts provided valuable information to voters on what was happening at polling stations throughout the country.

8. VOTER EDUCATION

The broadcast media can be effective tools in advancing voter education by providing information to voters about how, when and where to vote, the secrecy of the ballot and the role and importance of voting. This function is often referred to as civic voter education. Another way to understand voter education is to provide the information needed for voters to understand the nature of the issues, the platforms and programmes of the parties as well as the character of the candidates.7

The Authority would like to commend SABC2 for broadcasting "Khululeka", a comic drama aimed at providing information to voters and teaching people about the principles of democracy, and SABC1 for broadcasting "Walala wasala", a youth show aimed at encouraging youth participation in politics and the elections.

9. CONCLUSION

The Authority would like to thank all broadcasting licensees for the sterling work they did in covering the 2004 general elections and for complying with the Authority's regulations and for following the guidelines.

The Authority hereby declares broadcasting licensees' coverage of the 2004 elections as credible, free and fair.

1. Section 1 of the IBA Act, No. 153 of 1993
2. Section 58 of the IBA Act
3. Section 59 of the IBA Act
4. Section (61(1) of the IBA Act
5. Section 59(8) of the IBA Act
6.Section of the IBA Act
7. Article 19 - Guidelines for Broadcasting in Transitional Democracies, 1997.

Issued by: Independent Communications
Authority of South Africa (ICASA)
26 May 2004

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