ICASA to Hold Workshops on Television Broadcasting Service Licensing Process

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa will be hosting a series of provincial workshops between 7 and 17 November 2022 to explain the licensing process for community television broadcasting service and related radio frequency spectrum licences on Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Multiplex 1 (MUX 1) frequencies.

This follows the publication of an Invitation to Pre-Register (ITP-R) for Community Television Broadcasting Service (“CTBS”) and Radio Frequency Spectrum (“RFS”) Licences for MUX 1 frequencies on 30 June 2022, in the Government Gazette, No 46629.

The goal of these workshops is to encourage applications by ensuring that prospective applicants understand the requirements of the ITP-R, as well as the legislative and regulatory frameworks for CTBS and RFS licensing.

The Authority seeks to ensure that those who will be applying have a clear understanding of what is contained in the legislative and regulatory prescripts in order for them to submit competent applications.

We are embarking on this roadshow because we want to make sure that those who will be making submissions have a clear picture of what is contained in all the regulatory documents, which will also make our job easier when analysing the submissions.

Adv. Luthando Mkumatela, Councillor, ICASA

Communities are urged to: familiarise themselves with how the community broadcasting environment works; thoroughly read the ITP-R and all applicable regulations; and not rush into completing the required forms without fully understanding the requirements thereof.

ICASA is committed to stimulating and strengthening community television as a key civic sector. ICASA seeks to ensure that interested communities are awarded licences that will see aspiring broadcast media stakeholders fully empowered, so that the views, cultural values and beliefs of those communities may be shared across the country.