Government has not done enough to educate people on the ground about digital migration, ahead of South Africa’s analogue TV signal switch-off on 31 March.
This was one of the grievances raised by civil society campaign #SaveFreeTV.
#SaveFreeTV is organised by Peoples Media Consortium, Right2Know Campaign, SOS Coalition and community television channel Cape Town TV, with the objective to save free-to-air TV channels.
The civil society campaign argues that once SA completely migrates from analogue to digital TV viewing, millions of households, including those in marginalised communities, will be disconnected from free-to-air TV, losing access to vital news, information and education.
Yesterday, the civil society campaign convened its first people’s assembly to kick-off a campaign that demands government delay the analogue switch-off. The hybrid gathering was attended by activists from various communities, non-profit organisations, as well as delegates from the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT).
The Right2Know Campaign’s Sthembiso Khuluse said communication and awareness campaigns to make sure a large percentage of the population are registered to receive digital migration set-top boxes have been lacking.
He dismissed claims that the #SaveFreeTV campaign is opposed to digital migration, saying that is not true. However, he stated: “We are just saying we are not ready yet to go there and lots of people will be left behind.”
Speaking during the assembly, Francina Nkosi, based in mining town Lephalale, Limpopo, and representing Waterberg Women Advocacy Organisation, said government didn’t fully capacitate people living in rural communities in regards to the analogue switch-off.
Describing digital TV as ‘4IR’, Nkosi said if the fourth industrial revolution is introduced in communities, there needs to be a step-by-step process, making sure the communities understand.
“For me, I think the government has failed to capacitate the communities [to] understand what is happening,” stated Nkosi, adding that people in her community have not been consulted.
Verushka Memdutt from the South African Informal Traders Forum and member of the NWT of the Right2Know Campaign, spoke to the impact that ending analogue TV will have on the informal sector.
Memdutt explained that analogue TV plays a large role in the informal sector. “When we make a purchase [in the informal sector], we would purchase what is most affordable, and in our sector, most affordable often means the cheapest.
“Analogue TVs have, in the past few years, been the cheapest form of TV afforded to the informal sector. I can fairly state now that the informal sector consists largely of analogue TV that is serving us and our people.”
She added that mass media is important for the informal sector; noting print media doesn’t reach the informal sector quick enough, or at all, in some instances. “We can say that most street vendors have a television to watch for updating themselves about things that take place around them.”
Speakers from other organisations also expressed their grievances, raising issues such as delays in the provision of government-subsidised set-top boxes for indigent households, lack of consultative processes with community TV stations and insufficient awareness campaigns.
Cape Town TV station manager Karen Thorne said the channel would like to see the conclusion of the digital migration process, but noted it cannot be done at the “expense of millions of South Africans and the future of free-to-air TV”.
“We are asking to be included in consultations that would allow for a managed, responsible and phased switch-off, accompanied by an effective and participatory communications campaign.”
The DCDT, charged with driving South Africa’s ICT policy and digital transformation, is overseeing implementation of the broadcasting digital migration (BDM) programme, also known as digital migration.
After missing the International Telecommunication Union-mandated June 2015 migration deadline, the South African government has made numerous attempts to conclude the digital migration process, which will make way for the country’s long-awaited spectrum allocation.
Communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has stated that part of the challenges that bedevilled the auctioning of the high-demand spectrum has been the availability of sub-1GB spectrum that is to be released through digital migration.
In response to #SaveFreeTV’s grievances, Tebogo Leshope, Sentech COO and BDM project manager – who represented the DCDT – told the gathering the ministry continues to communicate the main intention and objectives of the digital migration project.
“The project intends to modernise and transition us into the digital era, which is a better era compared to where we are right now, and in an inclusive manner,” Leshope stated.
“We cannot fall behind as a country…the very same issue of access to better information, better quality and more channels will suffer if we do not migrate from analogue to digital.”
Leshope noted the benefits of digital migration as broad access to information through more channels, improved picture quality and access to spectrum to benefit communities at large, among others.
“We don’t want you to interpret that the objectives of the digital migration are opposed to the general public and society objectives – that is not the case. Indeed, we have considered what society’s needs are.”
Although parties did not find a resolution by the end of the gathering, they agreed to a follow-up meeting.
Rehad Desai from the SOS Coalition said everyone attending the meeting is committed to the digital migration process, but #SaveFreeTV wants to ensure it happens in an equitable manner so that South Africa’s poorer households aren’t forgotten once again.
He concluded: “We want to work hand-in-hand with government and we look forward to future meetings…we need to be talking directly to the decision-makers, the leadership of civil society and people involved in the ICT sector.”
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