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The government has proposed plans that would allow people without televisions to enjoy video-on-demand entertainment services through mobile devices by paying for TV licenses.
Deputy Communications Minister Pinky Kekana told parliament’s communications portfolio committee this week that the definition of television licensing was archaic in its current form and should be modified to include other electronic devices such as laptops, cell phones and tablets.
The state uses funds from television licenses to finance SABC, which last year reported a net loss of nearly R500 million.
“Regulation is needed on payment service providers like MultiChoice and video-on-demand subscription providers like Netflix to collect television licenses on behalf of the SABC, similar to municipalities that collect traffic fines and motor vehicle discs. to drivers [definition of] The TV license is out of date and must be adjusted to current reality, “he said.
Kekana said that charging TV license fees from non-users would help boost the state entity’s ailing balance sheet.
“We also have other platforms where people consume content and in all those areas, that’s where we should look, how can we get license fees from SABC for those devices,” he said.
Kekana also proposed that commercial television broadcasters with more than 30 channels be prohibited from broadcasting SABC channels, while requesting that sports channels be offered at affordable prices.
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