The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) has gazetted its request for public comment on troubled pay-TV fledgling Super5Media.
The authority wants public opinion on whether it should grant Super5 yet another six-month extension before it has to start operating its individual subscription television broadcasting service (ISTBS) licence, and another 12-month extension before its individual electronic communications network service (IECNS) licence is taken away.
The company was granted the ISTBS licence on 4 August 2008, and the IECNS licence on 9 September 2010, according to ICASA.
Proof please
“Interested persons are hereby invited to lodge written representations/comments on the applications to extend the commencement of operations by Super5Media...within 30 days of the date of publication of this notice,” states the gazette.
The notice was published on 28 December.
Anyone who wishes to make a written representation is requested to indicate whether they would like to make oral submissions in the event that the authority may conduct public hearings.
People lodging representations must be able to provide proof that a copy of the representation was submitted and delivered to Super5Media.
“Super5Media shall be entitled to respond in writing to written representations made by interested persons on the application for extension of commencement of operations and such written response must be lodged with the authority within 30 days from the closing date of the representations.
“Super5Media, at the time of lodging such written response, must furnish proof to the authority's satisfaction that it has delivered a copy of such response by hand, registered mail, or by facsimile to the relevant person having made such representation.”
Extension four
In December, ICASA told ITWeb it intends to hold public hearings at the end of January to decide the fate of Super5 and whether it should be granted the fourth extension on its licence.
In September last year, the company requested another extension, based on the reasoning that its application for an IECNS licence to self-provide had yet to be finalised by the authority.
Super5Media intends to provide its own signal distribution for its pay-TV service. In March, the company was granted another six-month extension by the authority. This pushed its go-live date to around September last year, but this did not materialise.
“Let's hear what the public says. As ICASA, we want to communicate. We are just a catalyst and cannot act on our verdict alone,” says ICASA chairman Stephen Mncube.
“We are not trying to punish people, but we don't just give licences for giving licences.”
ITWeb was unable to contact Super5Media for comment at the time of publication.
“The applications for extension are available for inspection by any interested persons during the authority's normal office hours at the authority's library, which is situated at Block D, Pinmill Farm, 164 Katherine Street, Sandton.”
ICASA adds all written representations, responses and other correspondence must be directed to Fikile Hlongwane, manager of broadcasting and compliance at its licensing and compliance division.
Comments can be posted to the address above, faxed to (011) 566 3198, or e-mailed.
Representations sent to the pay-TV company should be addressed to Michelle Garden and must be hand-delivered to 1st Floor, North Tower, 26 Baker Street, Rosebank, Johannesburg; or faxed to 086 593 0865.
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