Media Diversity Bill hearings

According to the official draft legislation, the bill aims to:

• ESTABLISH the Media Development and Diversity Agency to help create an enabling environment for media development and diversity that is conducive to public discourse and which reflects the needs and aspirations of all South Africans;

• REDRESS exclusion and marginalisation of disadvantaged communities and persons from access to the media and the media industry;

• PROMOTE media development and diversity by providing support primarily to community and small commercial media projects;

Funding

Government's draft position paper on the MDDA proposes a R300-million budget over five years, of which 60 percent will come from government, the media industry and donors. If equally spread, each will be expected to contribute R20 million a year.

This will be tough on the media industry who faces rising paper costs and decreased advertising expenditure.

MarketingWeb reports that anyone wishing to make an oral presentation on March 5 & 6 in Cape Town should make contact with the portfolio committee secretary, Rita Schaafsma, on (021) 4033742 by February 28.