Article on Icasa incorrect
Willie Currie and Melody Emmet stated in their article (State capture inquiry must probe broadcast deals, March 20) that “in 2015, the regulator issued an invitation to apply for new television licences on a third digital multiplex as part of the digital migration process. Infinity Media Network, the owners of ANN7, made a late submission to the licensing process. Icasa’s rules on lateness are very strict: a late submission leads to automatic disqualification and historically there has been no leeway on this. However, in this case, the Icasa council condoned the late submission by the Guptas”.
The Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) would like to respond as follows: Icasa issued an invitation to apply for the licensing of individual commercial free-to-air television broadcasting services on August 29 2014. The closing date for this process was December 1 2014. Following requests for an extension of the closing date by Kagiso Media and Videovision, Icasa took a decision to extend the closing date to March 31 2015 at 11am, through a general notice published in the Government Gazette.
Infinity Media submitted its application in response to the above-mentioned invitation to apply on March 31 2015 at 10.17am, and signed an acknowledgement letter. There was no late submission and as such no need for condonation of Infinity Media’s application by Icasa.
The process referred to in the article relates to an invitation to apply for the licensing of 45% of Multiplex 3 that was published by the authority on September 10 2015, with the closing date of November 30 2015.
This process was open only to existing commercial subscription television broadcasting services licensees. Infinity Media did not qualify to participate in this licensing process because the company does not have a subscription television broadcasting licence. Infinity Media did not submit an application in response to this invitation to apply, as alleged in the article.
Therefore, the statements that (a) the owners of ANN7 made a submission to the licensing process for new television licences on a third digital multiplex; (b) that the applications were late; and (c) that the Icasa council condoned late applications from the Guptas, contrary to Icasa’s processes, are factually incorrect and a complete misrepresentation of the facts.
Finally, on February 28 2017 Icasa issued a composite invitation to apply for an individual commercial free-to-air broadcasting service and a radio frequency spectrum licence for 55% on Multiplex 3 frequencies with the closing date of August 30 2017, later extended to November 16 2017 through a notice published in the Government Gazette, following a request for extension by the National Association of Broadcasters. This process is still under way and Icasa published a list of received applications on March 13 2018. Infinity Media is one of the applicants listed in the gazette.
Icasa’s processes are transparent, open and in the public interest. Icasa will continue to execute its mandate without fear or favour and in the public interest.
Paseka Maleka
Icasa spokesman