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Icasa rejects all applicants for SA FTA licences
Rebecca Hawkes
| 17 March 2016
South Africa’s communications regulator has rejected five applications for free-to-air (FTA) TV licences, delaying the entrance of competitors for existing broadcasters SABC and e.tv.
“After careful consideration of each application ... it is with great regret that the authority has taken the decision to reject all applicants for non-compliance,” said Rubben Mohlaloga, acting chairman, Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA).
The applications were rejected on varied grounds, including foreign shareholding, ownership by historically disadvantaged individuals, corporate status and finances, reported TechCentral.
The failed applications included Infinity Media, which hoped to launch the ANN7 24-hour news channel nationally on a terrestrial signal. It is currently only available on MultiChoice’s DStv pay-TV platform.
The other applicants were Liquid Telecom-backed Hola Media; Medo Investments; Rubicon Investments; and Change TV Network.
Mohlaloga said it is still ICASA’s desire to license South Africa’s broadcasting spectrum , in spite of this setback.
“With or without these licences, DTT will still happen. We have just authorised channels for the SABC and M-Net, which hopefully will make the DTT platform more attractive,” he told the publication.
Rebecca Hawkes
| 17 March 2016
South Africa’s communications regulator has rejected five applications for free-to-air (FTA) TV licences, delaying the entrance of competitors for existing broadcasters SABC and e.tv.
“After careful consideration of each application ... it is with great regret that the authority has taken the decision to reject all applicants for non-compliance,” said Rubben Mohlaloga, acting chairman, Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA).
The applications were rejected on varied grounds, including foreign shareholding, ownership by historically disadvantaged individuals, corporate status and finances, reported TechCentral.
The failed applications included Infinity Media, which hoped to launch the ANN7 24-hour news channel nationally on a terrestrial signal. It is currently only available on MultiChoice’s DStv pay-TV platform.
The other applicants were Liquid Telecom-backed Hola Media; Medo Investments; Rubicon Investments; and Change TV Network.
Mohlaloga said it is still ICASA’s desire to license South Africa’s broadcasting spectrum , in spite of this setback.
“With or without these licences, DTT will still happen. We have just authorised channels for the SABC and M-Net, which hopefully will make the DTT platform more attractive,” he told the publication.
