2.1 Promotion of Public, Private and Community services(Categorisation of the plan)

The Broadcast frequency plan is categorised into Public (PBS), Private and Community categories. The categorisation took the following issues into account:

• Expressions of interest for private and community services
• The triple inquiry report and its language obligations
• The current broadcasting services
• TBVC broadcasters to be incorporated with current NPBS broadcaster
• The SABC radio language service expansion
• Coverage and ERP requirements of broadcasters

2.2 The frequency plan and Universal service obligations

The draft frequency plan strives to reach a balance between universal access to PBS services and diversity within the categories of service. The FM radio plan will not be able to provide 100% coverage for the SABC's language services. The Triple inquiry report contains target population coverage figures of 90% for radio language services. The plan makes this possible considering a combination of FM and MW coverage.

The television plan is aimed at providing 3 national PBS services, 4 private and 1 community television service in areas where frequencies are available. Section 3.1 contains figures on the number of frequencies available for the different categories of broadcasting. The broadcast frequency plan allows for an even spread of PBS and Community frequencies throughout South Africa. Frequencies are available in low density population areas where no terrestrial broadcasting currently takes place.

The Authority will adopt a pragmatic approach to assigning frequencies to the categorised television services.

2.3 The frequency plan and its contribution to the requirement for diversity in the IBA Act.

Section 2(a) of the IBA Act promotes a diversity of services. The Broadcast frequency plan contributes to diversity of categories of services. It also provides frequencies at various ERP variations. The variation in ERP is more prominent for the FM and MW radio plan. Refer to section 3.1 for additional information on MW community radio. Television and Radio Self-Help stations will be limited to 50 Watt ERP and will be available for all categories of self-help stations.

2.4 Protection of national and regional identity, character and culture

The frequency distribution throughout South Africa allows that every citizen will have access to broadcast frequencies. Frequencies are grouped together in metropolitan areas, such as Johannesburg, to address areas with the greatest demand.

2.5 Protection of existing broadcasting services

The draft broadcast frequency plan does not deprive any existing permanent broadcaster of any licensed frequencies, although future assignments in the plan might cause frequency changes to existing broadcasters. These changes will be mostly applicable to self-help stations that have a low ERP and a small coverage area.

2.6 Protection of the integrity and viability of the public broadcaster

The draft plan protects all operational PBS services and allows for additional frequencies that are reserved for public broadcasting. The plan catagorise all public service frequencies as PBS (operational and spare). The frequencies used by the former TBVC states are included as PBS in the frequency plan. The IBA identified additional frequencies that can be used for PBS but still need to be coordinated with neighboring countries and the ITU. These frequencies are listed with an SP status. Television frequencies with a low ERP( smaller than 1 kilowatt) were currently not considered for coordination and are therefore marked as SPA.

2.7 Efficient use of national broadcast frequency spectrum

The current plan does not propose drastic changes to the existing frequency assignments. The plan has added a large number of FM and Television frequencies to the draft plan of 1995. The plan is in line with international planning principles and the software used to amend the plan is based on ITU recommendations. The plan differs drastically in frequency numbers, from the original GE89 and GE84 plans.

The GE84 FM plan contained 1011 frequencies while this revision contains 1371 frequencies. The GE89 Television plan contained 739 frequencies while this revision contains 1987 frequencies. The figures given above include all self-help and gap filler frequencies.

2.8 Fair competition between broadcasting services

The plan allows, in most cases, for frequencies with equal ERP levels (Private and PBS category) in the same licence areas. This will allow for fair competition between different private broadcasters due to the equal potential listener- and viewer-ship from single transmitter sites. The responses to the expressions of interest for radio (community and private), were taken into account in developing the plan. The Community frequencies vary in ERP from area to area, and sometimes in the same area.

2.9 Promotion of stability in the broadcasting industry

The IBA has attempted to make frequencies available according to demand, need and population distribution. The requirement of universal access has been balanced with market requirements. Comments are invited on additional criteria, and specific geographical area in the plan where such criteria are applicable.

2.10 Promotion of research into broadcasting policy and technology

The current plan does not specify frequency assignments for new technologies in the current frequency listing. Digital Terrestrial Television can be implemented in the UHF band and DAB will most probably be implemented in VHF CH 12 (238 - 246 MHz) and L-Band. An amended broadcast frequency plan will have to be drawn up in conjunction with the industry and the Southern African region.

2.11 Frequency plan and the Constitution

In terms of the Constitution, the Authority acknowledges equal right to frequencies and programme services.

2.12 Coverage contours for different broadcasting services

The Authority has specified service contour levels in section 3.8 of this document. These levels are in line with international standards and are used to determine the coverage area of a broadcasting service. The coverage area (usable field strength) is a function of all frequencies in this plan that may reduce the field strength area, as determined purely with the service contour. See definitions of Coverage area and Service area included in the same section.

2.13 Self-Help stations and frequency plan.

Frequencies for self-help stations are not pre-planned but are assigned using a method of foremost priority as and when applications are received. Only operational self-help frequencies are listed in Annexes B and E. Self-Help frequencies must be identified by the applicant. More information on Self-Help can be obtained from the Self-Help position paper.

2.14 The broadcast frequency plan and Provincial Broadcasting

The plan does not separate PBS and provincial broadcasting. The frequencies for provincial broadcasting need to be drawn from the available PBS assignments. The IBA act does not specify a separate category for provincial broadcasting.

2.15 Broadcast frequency plans and annual review

It is the intention of the Authority that the Broadcast Frequency Plan will be reviewed on an annual basis.

2.16 Data Accuracy and Community Radio Frequency Plans

The accuracy of the data in the Broadcast Frequency Plan is crucial. This plan reflects the corrections from the input on the draft broadcast plan.

2.17 Process of review

• Publish a notice on the availability of the draft broadcast frequency plan and request for representations in the Gazette.
• Consider representations and comments on the draft broadcast frequency plan.
• Implementation of changes to draft plan.
• Publication of broadcast frequency plan.
• Consider representations and comments on the broadcast frequency plan for inclusion into the next draft frequency plan.
• Repeat the cycle above.