7 March 2007
The Department of Communications is hosting a two-day National Community
Radio Conference in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, to review the progress made by the
sector since the advent of community radio some 12 years ago.
The conference will be held as follows:
Venue: Elangeni Conference and Hotel Centre, Marine Parade, Durban:
KwaZulu-Natal
Date: Monday and Tuesday, 12 to 13 March 2007
Time: 08h00 to 17h30
The conference, held under the theme "Community Radio Sustenance in the era
of Convergence", will review government's support to community radio sector and
measures needed to put in place to sustain the sector especially in the new
policy environment that has been brought about by the Electronic Communications
Act (ECA).
The ECA, which was passed last year, seeks to promote convergence of
services in telecommunications and broadcast markets.
Amongst other issues for discussion at the conference are:
* policy implications emanating from ECA
* funding and sustainability, skills retention strategies, digital migration,
audience measurements and advertising. Speakers at the conference will include
representatives from government, the regulator, advertising, sector
organisations and signal distributor.
It is envisaged that the conference will develop a long-term support
strategy to significantly enhance the areas of governance and policy,
management and administration, operations and programming and funding model
that will realistically address the needs of community radio sector.
Community Radio Conference programme
12 to 13 March 2007, Elangeni Conference and Hotel Centre, Marine Parade,
Durban
Day one: 11/03/2007
16:00 - 21h00: Registration, Department of Communication project team
Day two - 12/03/07
08:30 - 08:35: Opening, facilitator/chairperson
08:40 - 09:00: Opening remarks, Mr Norman Munzhelele (Chief Director: Policy
Branch)
09:00 - 09:30: Keynote address - Community radio sustenance in the era of
convergence, Dr Harold Wesso (Deputy Director-General: Policy Branch)
09:30 - 09:50: Sector overview and presentation of discussion document
(expectations)
* Twelve years summary of the sector
* New legislative environment presented by the ECA
* Discussion document, Dr Mashilo Boloka (Director: Broadcasting Policy)
09:50 -10:10: State of community radio, critical challenges and lessons from
sector organisations and perspectives:
* State of community radio
* Critical challenges
* Recommendations, Mr Franklin Huizies
10:10 -10:30: Licensing regime and regulatory compliance
* State of compliance in community radio
* Regulatory provisions emanating from the ECA
* Recommendations, Mr Robert Nkuna: (Councillor: Independent Communications
Authority of South Africa)
10:30 - 10:45: Tea break
10:45 - 11:05: Government funding for the Information and Communication
Technology sector
* Imperatives of government funding
* Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) projects
* Recommendations, Mr Harry Mathabatha (Deputy Director-General: Finance, State
Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs))
11:05 - 11:25: Funding for community radio stations
* The nature of funding
* Sustainability
* Recommendations, Mr Lumko Mtimde (Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Media
Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA))
11:25 - 11:45: Signal distribution and tariff costing for community
radio
* Signal distribution and costs
* Key lessons from community radio
* Challenges and recommendations, Mr Rajen Naidoo (Manager: SENTECH)
11:45 - 12:05: Community radio in the era of convergence and digital
migration
* What is digital migration?
* Its benefits
* Impact on radio broadcasting, Mr Lynn Mansfield (Chairman: Southern Africa
Digital Broadcasting Association (SADIBA))
12:05 - 12:20: Selling community radio
* Lessons from selling community radio
* Strategies of selling community radio and their strengths and
shortcomings
* Creating value in community radio, Mr Tebogo Pooe (Managing Director:
Motswako Media)
12:20 - 12:35: Measuring community radio audiences, challenges and
lessons
* AMPS and RAMS
* Methodology
* Community radio audience, Mr Paul Haupt (CEO: South African Advertising
Research Foundation (SAARF))
12:35 - 12:50: Content production and skills development
* Skills needs and creation in the sector
* Skills retention
* Challenges and recommendations, Ms Anabel Lebethe (Chamber Manager:
MAPP-SETA)
12:50 - 13:00: Summary of issues and recommendations presented by the sector
role players, facilitator/chairperson
13:00 - 14:00: Lunch
14:00 - 15:00: Selection of groups for breakaway sessions and allocation of
topics and chairpersons, facilitator/chairperson
15:00 - 15:15: Tea break
15:20 - 17:30: Breakaway sessions in accordance with key topics of
discussion, chairpersons/facilitator
17:30 - 18:00: Delegates to refresh for the 19:00 cocktail function
Day three: 13/03/07
08:00 - 10:30: Breakaway sessions, chairpersons/facilitator
10:30 - 10:45: Tea break
10:50 - 12:30: Report back and recommendations to plenary breakaway groups,
chairpersons/scribes
12:30 - 13:00: Way forward and conference closure, Dr Mashilo Boloka
(Director: Broadcasting Policy)
13:00 - 14:00: Lunch
Departure
For enquiries contact:
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
Issued by: Department of Communications
7 March 2007
Source: SAPA
