SABC now allowed to produce less local TV content

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has granted SABC’s application to allow local TV content quotas to be waived because of the Covid-19 global outbreak.

Channel24 reports that the national broadcaster can make and broadcast less locally-produced programming and fewer hours in 2020 of certain genres of first-run television content.

SABC is mandated to broadcast a certain number of hours in various languages, with new and original content in numerous genres on TV.

SABC said: “It is important to note that the public broadcaster needs local productions as part of its business model.

“Therefore, the SABC will do everything within the regulations to grow its business while assisting local production houses it works with.”

The relaxed regulation only applies to SABC’s TV channels and not their radio services, or news content.

SABC applied for the exemption due to the government’s decision to lock down the country to tackle Covid-19, which meant South Africa film and television productions had to shut down.

Even with the granted exemption, SABC said it didn’t mean they wanted to show less local content, stressing it was an attempt to mitigate the impact that Covid-19 has and, “could have on the corporation’s local productions as all production houses had to shut down when the national lockdown was announced”.

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