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Communications
With a network that is 99% digital and includes the latest in fixed-line, wireless and satellite communications, South Africa has the most developed telecommunications network in Africa.
The country harnessed all its resources to ensure the successful hosting of the world's biggest sport event, the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Over R1,5 billion was spent on event
broadcasting and telecommunications.
Access
The Department of Communications' mandate is to create a favourable information and communications technology (ICT) environment, ensuring that South Africa has the capacity to advance its socio-economic development goals and support the renewal of Africa and the building of a better world.
In March 2010, the Radio Frequency Spectrum Policy was approved. The policy seeks, among other things, to:
- ensure the efficient use and management of the radio frequency spectrum
- facilitate the achievement of key socio-economic objectives, such as increasing access to ICT
- create an information society via wireless technologies
- ensure access to broadband services and public service broadcasting content.
The National Broadband Policy [PDF] for South Africa was gazetted in July 2010. The policy seeks to address the availability, accessibility and affordability of broadband, build an information society and promote the uptake and usage of broadband.
In May 2010, the Department of Communications hosted a community television policy workshop to develop a broad framework to enable the successful launch of community TV in South Africa.
The Broadcasting Digital Migration (BDM) Policy [PDF] for South Africa was approved in July 2008 and on 30 October 2008, the digital signal was switched on. The official switch-over to digital is expected to take place in 2013.
One of the major impacts of the BDM Policy is its contribution to industrial growth in South Africa. The implementation of the Set Top Boxes (STBs) Manufacturing Sector
Development Strategy was finalised in 2010.
The focus will be on providing subsidies to poor TV-owning households to enable them to buy STBs.
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Mobile communications
In recent years, South Africa has witnessed tremendous growth in the cellphone industry. South Africa has five operators:
Internet
In 2010, the number of South African Internet users passed the five-million mark for the first time, finally breaking through the 10% mark in Internet penetration for the country. This was the key finding of the Internet Access in South Africa 2010 study
conducted by World Wide Worx released in January 2010.
Did you know?
In March 2010, 77% of South Africans with Internet access
were shopping online, according to a survey released by Mastercard Worldwide.
Music and movies topped the list of purchases, followed by airline tickets, home appliances and electronics.
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Telkom
Telkom has been operating as a commercial company since October 1991 and is the largest provider of communications services in Africa, according to operating revenue and assets.
Neotel
Neotel is South Africa's first converged telecommunications network operator. This means that voice, data and Internet is offered over a single connection.
Postal sector
The Government-subsidised South African Post Office (Sapo) is required to provide a basic letter service that is reasonably accessible to all.
Sapo delivers almost six million letters per day to 11 million addresses in South Africa. It has more than 2 500 outlets covering the length and breadth of South Africa.
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The media
South Africa’s Bill of Rights guarantees the freedom of the press and other media.
Broadcasting
The independence of the public broadcaster, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), is guaranteed by legislation. The SABC is being corporatised and restructured to better fulfil its mandate.
Radio
The SABC’s national radio network comprises 18 radio stations. Fifteen of these are dedicated specifically to public-service broadcasting and include 11 full spectrum stations, one in each of the official languages of South Africa, a cultural service for the Indian community broadcasting in English, a regional community station broadcasting in isiXhosa and English and a community station broadcasting in the !Xu and Khwe languages of the Khoisan people of the Northern Cape. The SABC boasts three stations in its commercial portfolio. They are:
Channel Africa Network reaches millions of listeners throughout Africa. Broadcasts are in English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, Chinyanja and Silozi. The network targets audiences in Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, and concentrates on providing programmes with African content.
SABC News provides news and current affairs services to both SABC radio and television. For its domestic coverage, SABC News has 13 editorial offices, while world news is provided by strategically placed news bureaus, foreign correspondents and international news agencies.
Channel Africa Network comprises four language services, reaching millions of listeners throughout Africa. Broadcasts are in English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, Chinyanja and Silozi. The network targets audiences in Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, and concentrates on providing programmes with African content.
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa has granted licences to the following private radio stations:
Community radio stations have a huge potential for the support of, among other things, cultural and educational information exchanges. These radio stations use all indigenous languages, ensuring that people receive information in languages they understand.
Television
The SABC’s television network comprises four television channels – three of them free-to-air and the fourth pay-TV. Combined the free-to-air channels attract more than 17,5 million adult viewers daily, reaching 89% of the total adult TV-viewing population.
In October 1998, the country’s first privately owned free-to-air television channel, e.tv, started operations.
M-Net became South Africa’s first private subscription television service when it launched in 1986. Today, it broadcasts its array of general entertainment and niche channels to subscribers in more than 50 countries across the African continent and adjacent Indian Ocean islands.
MultiChoice Africa (MCA) was formed in 1995 to manage the subscriber services of its sister company, M-Net. It became the first African company on the continent to offer digital satellite broadcasting. In July 2008, Multichoice launched high-definition television, the first in Africa. MultiChoice provides digital media entertainment, content and services to multiple devices, which include pay TV subscriber services to more than 1,5 million customers.
MCA is 100% owned by the MIH Group, which is listed on the JSE Ltd, the Nasdaq in New York, and AEX in Amsterdam.
The pay television provider Top TV was launched in 2010.
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Print
Technically, the local print media rate among the best in the world. This is one reason why newspapers and magazines have held their own in a volatile information era, identified by the vast development of various new forms of media-delivery platforms via the Internet.
South African newspapers and magazines are mainly organised into several major publishing houses:
Other important media players include
Since 1994, the major press groups have embarked on programmes to boost Black Economic Empowerment in media ownership.
Newspapers
In August 2010, the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) of South Africa reported that total newspaper performance declined by 163 000 copies between March and June 2010 when compared to the previous corresponding period.
Daily newspapers reflected a decline of 6,6% or 106 000 copies. Digital circulation, albeit off a small base, grew five-fold. In general, English titles declined more sharply than Afrikaans or vernacular titles.
Weekly newspapers declined by 6,6%, although the decline seemed to be slowing.
Weekend newspapers declined by 2,7%.
Community newspapers reflected a solid and stable performance, with growth mainly the result of new entrants. Free newspapers remained static.
Biggest weekly and daily newspapers
Magazines
Between March and June 2010, despite the uncertain economic climate, the number of new entrants was significant. Total ABC membership grew from 759 titles at 31 March 2010 to 794 at 30 June 2010, with 40 titles joining and five closures or resignations.
Total magazine circulation showed considerable growth, mainly the result of two significant Custom TV titles reporting.
News agencies
The national news agency, the South African Press Association, is a cooperative, non-profit organisation.
The main foreign news agencies operating in South Africa are:
Did you know?
Former South African editor Laurence Gandar was in May
2010 declared a World Press Freedom Hero by the International Press Institute (IPI). He was posthumously honoured at a ceremony in September 2010 for his long years of dedication to the press in South Africa and his profoundly transformative effect on the political landscape of the country.
Gandar was editor of the Johannesburg-based Rand Daily Mail from 1957 to 1969.
Gandar is the second South African journalist to be selected as an IPI World Press Freedom Hero. In 2000, South African newspaper editor Percy Qoboza was honoured with the award.
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Media diversity
The independent Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) is jointly funded by government, the media and other donors.
Headed by a nine-member board, the MDDA works to foster diversity, particularly in community and small commercial media, and to redress imbalances in the industry.
The MDDA awarded its first grants to community and small commercial media projects in January 2004.
By mid-2010, the MDDA had funded 273 projects, amounting to R77 million worth of grant support. These included supporting community radio stations, community newspapers and other community initiatives with skills, seed funding, capacity-building and media diversity and literacy, among other things. The MDDA aims to expand its focus on rural and poor communities that have limited or no access to information.
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Advertising
Several South African agencies are active in Africa. The industry is self-regulated through the Advertising Standards Authority.
Source: Pocket Guide to South Africa 2010/11
Editor: D Burger. Government Communication and Information
System
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Last modified: 12 January 2012 11:17:12.
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