Media
statement: Introduction
to Parliament of MDDA
draft
legislation
4 February 2002
Draft legislation for the establishment
of a Media Development and Diversity agency was today introduced
in Parliament by the Minister in the Presidency.
The public is invited to submit comment
on the draft legislation to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee
on Communications by 27 February. The Portfolio Committee will be
holding public hearings on the bill.
The bill provides for the establishment
of an independent agency that will through support, facilitation
and research, help create an enabling environment for media development
and diversity in South Africa. Funding will be directed principally
a community media. Some assistance through the facilitation of loans
may be received by small commercial media.
The draft legislation was approved
by Cabinet in December last year, one year after the release for
public discussion of a Draft Position Paper, itself the product
of consultative policy development in which government interacted
with stakeholders including the community media and the media industry.
Comment from a wide range of stakeholders
was taken into account in drafting the legislation and finalising
the position paper. Further consultation with the media industry
resulted in a draft Memorandum of Understanding between GCIS and
key print and broadcast media houses. Amongst other things it is
based on a commitment by the media industry to contribute to the
funding of the MDDA.
The bill stipulates that the MDDA will
be an independent statutory body funded jointly from government
and other sources. It will be governed by a nine-person Board appointed
through an open process by Parliament and the President. Four seats
will be reserved for nominees from community media, commercial broadcast
media and commercial print media and GCIS.
The Bill is available on the GCIS and Government
Online web sites and in hard copy from the Government Printers.
The final MDDA Position Paper should be available tomorrow.
Enquiries: Dr Devan Pillay
084 556 2131
Issued by Government Communication
and Information System (GCIS)
4 February 2002
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