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The SABC is pushing for new regulations that would force South African users to pay for television licenses.
In an interview with MyBroadband, SABC TV Licensing Director Sylvia Tladi confirmed SABC’s recent request for new regulations regarding TV licenses.
This follows after the public announcer told parliament that new regulations are required to require users who watch content on devices such as smartphones to pay TV license fees.
Tladi told MyBroadband that a process is underway to review the policies and legislation affecting the SABC.
As part of this process, the SABC wants to expand the definition of television to include devices such as set-top boxes and smartphones.
“One of the key things we had to deal with was the definition of a television because once you have defined what a television is, you go on to identify whether a license is required or not.”
“We believe that today people no longer just consume content or streaming services on a traditional television,” he said.
“What we are asking is that the definition be modified so that it can also include other devices that are not traditionally designed to look like televisions, but are used to receive content streaming services, regardless of the platforms that people use to consume. content”.
Examples of devices the SABC wants to include under this definition are Android streaming boxes that connect to televisions and cell phones, he said.
SABC may charge for the mobile license
When asked about the motivation for enforcing the TV License by smartphone or laptop users, Tladi explained that consumers were previously able to purchase laptops and separate tuner hardware that allowed them to receive broadcast signals. .
“We’re not saying that just because you buy that laptop, you now have to have a TV license,” he said.
“What we’re saying is that any device that allows you to watch broadcasts, whatever it is, will require a television license.”
Tladi added that there is already a provision for SABC to charge for a mobile license under current transmission regulations.
“Our regulations currently allow us to charge for a mobile license. It’s just one part of the regulations that the SABC didn’t fully explore and even when we did, it wasn’t a big deal in South Africa, ”he said.
“It was pretty big during the 2010 World Cup because that’s when people went out and bought smartphones because they wanted to watch football on their phones, and then it went off.”
“However, our legislation already provides for a mobile license, which means that the SABC can really consider the device you are using as a television receiving a signal and charge you for that,” he said.
Even though this app didn’t take off, Tladi said that by virtue of its inclusion in current regulations, it may lead to more precise regulations on smartphones in the future.
It is important to note that these SABC proposals are currently in very early stages.
These potential changes to the regulations should be discussed before parliament, concretely defined, and then made available to the public for comment before they spread further into the law.
This is not the first time that the SABC has proposed that smartphone users incur TV license fees, with James Aguma, former SABC CEO, tells parliament in 2017 that the definition should be changed to include cell phones, computers and tablets.
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