Following a meeting with broadcasters, the Department of Communications (DoC) has issued the following statement:
“The DoC had a meaningful engagement with the SABC, etv and other free to air broadcasters to review the options available to fast tracking the implementation of the digital terrestrial television (DTT).
“The meeting was a follow-up to the gathering that took place on 14 January 2013, to consider the implications of implementing the South Gauteng High Court decision to grant broadcasters the right to control conditional access in state-subsidised set-top boxes (decoders), subject to ICASA’s authority.
“Broadcasters made their independent recommendations to the DoC. The DoC is now reviewing all the input and will decide on the way forward.
“The DoC is pleased with the level of engagement from all the parties and the importance they attached to ensuring that DTT avoids unnecessary delays.
“The DoC remains committed to engaging the industry and is open to meeting the broadcasters at an earlier date should that be necessary.
“All the parties agreed that industry regulator, ICASA, is a key player in creating certainty in the rollout of digital migration. ICASA committed itself to fulfilling all its responsibilities within its mandate.”
“The DoC had a meaningful engagement with the SABC, etv and other free to air broadcasters to review the options available to fast tracking the implementation of the digital terrestrial television (DTT).
“The meeting was a follow-up to the gathering that took place on 14 January 2013, to consider the implications of implementing the South Gauteng High Court decision to grant broadcasters the right to control conditional access in state-subsidised set-top boxes (decoders), subject to ICASA’s authority.
“Broadcasters made their independent recommendations to the DoC. The DoC is now reviewing all the input and will decide on the way forward.
“The DoC is pleased with the level of engagement from all the parties and the importance they attached to ensuring that DTT avoids unnecessary delays.
“The DoC remains committed to engaging the industry and is open to meeting the broadcasters at an earlier date should that be necessary.
“All the parties agreed that industry regulator, ICASA, is a key player in creating certainty in the rollout of digital migration. ICASA committed itself to fulfilling all its responsibilities within its mandate.”