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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 in its current form was archaic and should be modified to include other electronic devices such as laptops, cell phones and tablets.
The state uses TV licensing funds to finance SABC, which last year posted a net loss of almost R500m.
“Regulation is needed on payment service providers such as MultiChoice and subscription video-on-demand providers such as Netflix to charge television licenses on behalf of the SABC, similar to municipalities that charge traffic fines and motor vehicle drive 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 [definition of] The TV license is out of date and must be adjusted to current reality, “he said.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 at how we can 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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