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Electronic Communications Act, 2005 (Act No. 36 of 2005)

Chapter 9 : Broadcasting Services

65. Limitations on control of commercial broadcasting services

 

(1) No person may—
(a) directly or indirectly exercise control over more than one commercial broadcasting service licence in the commercial television broadcasting service; or
(b) be a director of a company which is, or of two or more companies which between them are, in a position to exercise control over more than one commercial broadcasting service licence in the commercial television broadcasting service; or
(c) be in a position to exercise control over a commercial broadcasting service licence in the commercial television broadcasting service and be a director of any company which is in a position to exercise control over any other commercial broadcasting service licence in the commercial television broadcasting service.

[Section 65(1) substituted by section 27 of the Electronic Communications Amendment Act, 2014 (Act No. 1 of 2014)]

 

(2) No person may—
(a) be in a position to exercise control over more than two commercial broadcasting service licences in the FM sound broadcasting service;
(b) be a director of a company which is, or of two or more companies which between them are, in a position to exercise control over more than two commercial broadcasting service licences in the FM sound broadcasting service;
(c) be in a position to exercise control over two commercial broadcasting service licences in the FM sound broadcasting service and be a director of any company which is in a position to exercise control over any other commercial broadcasting licence in the FM sound broadcasting service.

 

(3) A person referred to in subsection (2) must not be in a position to control two commercial broadcasting service licences in the FM sound broadcasting service, which either have the same licence areas or substantially overlapping licence areas.

 

(4) No person may—
(a) be in a position to exercise control over more than two commercial broadcasting service licences in the AM sound broadcasting service;
(b) be a director of a company which is, or of two or more companies which between them are, in a position to exercise control over more than two commercial broadcasting service licences in the AM sound broadcasting services; or
(c) be in a position to exercise control over two commercial broadcasting service licences in the AM sound broadcasting service and be a director of any company which is in a position to exercise control over any other commercial broadcasting service licence in the AM sound broadcasting service.

 

(5) No person referred to in subsection (4) may be in a position to control two commercial broadcasting service licences in the AM sound broadcasting service, which either have the same licence areas or substantially overlapping licence areas.

 

(6) The Authority may, on application by any person, on good cause shown and without departing from the objects and principles enunciated in section 2, exempt such person from the provisions of subsections (1) to (5).

 

(7) The Authority may, whenever the Authority considers it necessary in view of the developments in broadcasting technology or for the purposes of advancing the objects and principles enunciated in section 2, institute and conduct a public inquiry and make recommendations to the Minister regarding the amendment of any of the provisions of subsections (1) to (6).

 

(8) The recommendations contemplated in subsection (7) must be tabled in the National Assembly by the Minister within 14 days of receipt thereof, if the National Assembly is then in session, or if the National Assembly is not in session, within 14 days after the commencement of its next ensuing session.