Multichoice Says It Supports The New Controversial SABC TV Licence Proposal
Multichoice Says It Supports The New Controversial SABC TV Licence Proposal. Broadcasting giant MultiChoice has indicated its support over proposed measures to save the embattled South African Broadcasting Commission (SABC), who plan to implement a R265 yearly licensing fee to all South African households able to view their content. This would essentially see any household with access to a TV, laptop, smart phone or tablet charged an annual levy that the broadcaster hopes will salvage them from the financial distress they currently find themselves in. This would replace the existing TV Licence structure. The Democratic Alliance (DA) have called the proposed levy a “stealth bailout” and categorically opposed it. The measure would supposedly generate around R2 billion a year for the SABC.
“Essentially, the SABC submits that the public broadcasting levy should become a device-independent levy on all households that have the possibility of accessing public broadcasting content whether via the internet, mobile, analogue or any digital broadcasting platforms, with exemptions for indigent households and discounts for pensioners and other designated persons, adding that the collection of the licence fee from subscribers, per household, is not an onerous requirement from a systems point of view, noting it amounts to 72c a day based on the current licence fee.” The SABC said in a statement.
According to MSN News, MultiChoice said on Tuesday that the proposal would eradicate the “outdated” TV licence model that they believe is not on in line with “international best practice”. The broadcaster said that it is in favour of a “more effective, ring-fenced public broadcasting levy”, and suggested that this should preferably be collected by the South African Revenue Service (SARS).
The SABC is still continuing with its retrenchments that are due to its dire financial situation. By retrenching workers and introducing the new TV licence proposal, it aims to ease the strain on its financials. Vuyo Mthembu, SABC spokesperson, told MSN News that, within the new structure, marketing managers will be reporting directly to corporate affairs and marketing departments “to ensure efficiency in the delivery of the organisation’s marketing objectives. Furthermore, station managers are now called business managers as this will ensure that business managers of each station take full ownership of the profit and loss responsibility, drive revenue and listenership growth whilst fulfilling the SABC’s mandate of informing, educating and entertaining South Africans.” he said.
