During the recent #CommunityBroadcastingAfrica online forum presented by Broadcast Media Africa (BMA) and its programme partner 2Gwana Media, the Chief Executive Officer of the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) in South Africa, Zukiswa Potye weighed on the existing factors hindering adequate resource allocations in community broadcasting organisations across the African continent.
In the course of the engagement, BMA asked Potye about her views relating to whether public policies hindered the development of community radio in Africa. BMA requested the CEO of MDDA to input on how, in her experience, the continent could address the challenges being endured.
According to Potye, one of the barriers experienced in South Africa includes a lack of progressiveness relating to the implementation of regulations and frameworks aimed at keeping up with digitisation. One factor highlighted by Zukiswa was that MDDA, for example, cannot provide funding for digital broadcasting due to the legislative framework to regulate digital broadcasting.
Potye further stressed the legislative deficit which exists across the continent. This deficit, according to Potye, means that global companies that have the resources to develop community broadcasting do not do so because there is no legislation enforcing their commitment and contribution to community development.