The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) has published the final regulations on party election broadcasts, political advertisements and the equitable treatment of political parties by broadcasting licensees.
This comes as President Jacob Zuma today signed a proclamation officially declaring 7 May as the date for the national elections.
ICASA is tasked with ensuring broadcasters covering the upcoming elections do so fairly.
The regulator says the aim of the regulations is to "prescribe a framework and guidelines under which party election broadcasts (PEB) and political adverts should be conducted and carried by broadcasting service licensees during the 2014 national and provincial government elections".
According to ICASA, the process will unfold as follows:
ICASA will receive the final list of contesting political parties from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in due course.
- Upon receipt of the list, the authority will invite contesting political party representatives to a briefing session to allocate the PEB slots in accordance with the formula as outlined in the regulations on PEBs and political parties by broadcasting licensees.
- The public broadcaster and other broadcasting service licensees who have indicated interest in transmitting PEBs will also be invited.
- The council of ICASA will proclaim the election broadcast period.
- The authority will then publish the PEB schedule in the government gazette within two days of the allocation of slots.
ICASA says it will ensure extensive monitoring of election coverage in terms of the regulations and licence conditions of broadcasters is undertaken.
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