“It’s a question of data”. This is a statement given by Fegus Lipenga following Broadcast Media Africa’s (BMA) question “How Has Infrastructural Development Influenced OTT Streaming Regulations”. The Director of Broadcasting at Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) further expanded to say telecom infrastructure has only recently developed, leading to an increase of services and access to content.
Furthermore, Lipenga noted that, based on observation, regulators often lag behind when it comes to technological advancements and developments, and one of the ways to bridge the gaps would be for African regulators to collaborate.
The online forum on “Effective Regulation Of Online Broadcasting And OTT Streaming Services In Africa” was an initiative by Broadcast Media Africa to assist practitioners in assessing how new formats of online and streaming media are different and separate from the traditional; discuss frameworks for regulating content when streaming or media platforms are supra-national and not locally based; review best case examples in other jurisdictions; teach regulators and policymakers in Africa how they can work with all stakeholders to implement local regulatory policy procedures and standards.