The Portfolio Committee on Communications held a briefing session on 14 to 15 June with stakeholders from the advertising sector to discuss transformation within the industry.
Presentations made before the Committee were from the Media Development & Diversity Agency (MDDA), Association for Communication & Advertising (ACA), Advertising Standard Authority of South Africa (ASA) and National Consumer Commission (NCC).
Following discussions, the Committee made the following recommendations:
- MDDA and ACA must meet, discuss, consider and take all issues raised by the Community and small commercial media at the oversight visits forward and report back to the committee.
- The Marketing, Advertising and Communications (MAC) Sector Charter Council should have review mechanisms that include experiences encouraging media development & diversity. These may comprise industry business practices, like a percentage commitment of ad spent to community media as defined in the MDDA Act.
- The Committee will engage the Department of Trade Industry regarding "promulgating" the MAC charter to the next step, Section 9 as suggested by ACA.
- Government Communication and Information Systems (GCIS) to commit and implement a percentage adspent to community media as defined by MDDA Act and small commercial media.
- GCIS must support the MDDA proposed online advertising booking management system for community and small commercial media.
- GCIS must support the MDDA proposal for establishing a community radio software management tool to enhance professionalism, accountability, record keeping, reporting and good community radio management.
- Committee will review progress in all this regard at the end of the financial year.
- Government organs and state owned entities are encouraged to also use community and small commercial media as defined in the MDDA Act in respect of their advertising spent. This will not only ensure their messages reach the targeted communities but will also support the ideal of sustaining a diverse media society, viable community media and enhance democracy.
- The Committee urges that the NCC urgently speed up the accreditation and conclusion of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU’s) with the sectoral and self regulatory bodies.
Enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Ms Yoliswa Landu
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8203
Cell: 073 738 0182
E-mail: ylandu@parliament.gov.za
Source: Parliament of South Africa
