RESPONSE TO UMAFRIKA 21-27 September 2007, Article Page 15 -16

Siyathokoza ukuthola ithuba lokucacisa nge Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA). MDDA is a development agency set up as partnership between the South African Government and media organizations to assist in developing community and small commercial media in South Africa.

It was established in 2003 in terms of the MDDA Act, No 14 of 2002. The MDDA operates within a broad legislative framework including the MDDA Act itself, the Public Finance Management Act, the Electronic Communications Act, the ICASA Act, the Labour Relations Act, amongst others.
The MDDA is set up to assist in building an environment where a diverse, vibrant and creative media flourishes and reflects the needs of all South Africans.
U MDDA uthola imali yakhe kuHulumeni wezwe lonke, ku SABC, ku Independent Newspapers, ku Johnnic Publishing, ku MNET, kuPrimedia Broadcasting, ku Kagiso Broadcasting, ku Media 24 nakwezinye ii grants. Ngonyaka ithola imali e Malunga ne R18m – R22m.
I MDDA ilawulwa ngumthetho weParliamente ibike imiphumelo yemisebenzi yayo eParliamente nasezimbonini eziyixhasa ngemali. Yaqala ukusiza umphakathi ngo January 2004.

Umasibuka kwaZulu Natal, kulonyaka ophelile kuphela, ngokufutshane ndingathi yasiza imibutho efana noo; Iqhawe Communication, School Talk, Asenze Youth Development Initiative, Satyagraha, Zisize Educational Trust, Inanda FM, Vibe FM, Radio Sunny South, nabanye abasuka kuma beneficiaries nge training on amongst others essential of Newspaper Management eyenziwa eSol Plaatjie Institute eGrahamstown. Ukanti ngonyaka ka 2005/6 yasiza kwaZulu Natal oo; Newcastle Community Radio, Agenda Feminist Media Project, Amazwi Writes, Umsinsi Press, Genuine Magazine, Isibane News, Kraft Media, Maputaland Mirror, Umqekethi, etc.

Oku kubonisa uninzi lwamaprojects esiwasizileyo. Ukuze uthole usizo eMDDA, kufuneka ugcwalise amafomu abhalwe cacileyo, oku kubakulekile ngoba amabhuku ezimali eMDDA ayahlolwa ngemigomo ethize, futhi iMDDA ifuna ukuqinisekisa ukuthi izimali ziphathwa ngendlela efanele. Manje ke kufuneka yazi ukuthi iyinike bani imali, izosebenza phi, ngubani ozozuza kulokho, sizo luni lowo azolufuna ukuze ayisebenzise kahle imali, etc. Inhlangano ze Board le MDDA zasiswa umphakathi.

U MDDA ufumene i application ye EzaKwaZulu News nge 14 September 2007. Le application izojongwa yiBoard nge 06th December 2007. Siyacela sikhuthaza abo bafuna usizo bathumele okufunwa yiMDDA ukuze ikwazi ukujonga i application yabo kahle, kufuneka babekezele kuba i MDDA icabangisisa icwaninge isicelo se application ngokuphelele. Uma ingaphelele ibuyela kuwe, uma ungabekezeli ushiywa yisikhathi ize i application yakho idlule kwinhlangano yeBoard leyo idlulele kwesinye isikhathi se Board ezayo.

Singu MDDA sicela nabamabizinisi abakhona emphakathini basize lama projects kuba zisiza umphakathi. NoHulumeni bezifunda nomasipala sicela basebenzise lamaphepha omphakathi nemisakazo yomphakathi ukuxhumana nokwazisa umphakathi.

The MDDA provides the following services, in its pursuit of its mandate;

Provides grants and subsidies to media projects and the promotion of media development and diversity

Leverage resources and support through technical assistance

Conduct and funding research

Facilitate capacity building

Advocate for media diversity

Since its formation until March 2007, the MDDA has achieved some major milestones including the awarding of grants to the amount of R45m to over 135 projects, the provision of 41 bursaries to different radio and print media. It has also received unqualified audited report from Auditor General since its establishment.

Its priority going forward will be to increase focus on rural and poor communities as well as historically diminished language and cultural groups and to increase work done in provinces outside of Gauteng and Western Cape. In the period 2007 to 2010 the MDDA will continue to focus on to ensure that all citizens can access information in a language of their choice and contributing to the transformation of media access, ownership and control patterns in South Africa.

The purpose of the MDDA programs in this period is to “strengthen the sector though the provision of resources, knowledge and skills in pursuit of promoting media development and diversity”

In this context, the MDDA will in the ensuing period, focus its work on advocacy for the alternative sector, giving grants and seed funding support for the newly licensed community radio stations in the nodal areas. For both small commercial print media and community media projects, capacity building interventions with beneficiaries including mentorship and monitoring and evaluation, research and increasing knowledge of the MDDA to better structure program intervention and innovation, stakeholder management and resource mobilisation. Monitoring and Evaluation will play a key role in structuring future program involvement, design and development.

Interventions in the print media sector include addressing printing and distribution challenges by assisting in the setting up of hubs where resources can be shared amongst projects.

Accordingly, the Agency has set itself the following indicators for the years ahead, in terms of its mandate in the promotion and strengthening small commercial print and community media:

At least 1 community radio per district municipality funded

At least 1 community newspaper per district municipality funded

At least 1 community television per province funded

1 media co-operative per district funded guided by the feasibility study on the viability of co-operatives

at least 1 hub per province (print & radio) funded

number & range of student media funded

number & range of atypical media funded

number & range of new media funded

13 CRs in the nodal areas funded

number & range of content development initiatives

Number and spread of small commercial newspapers,

magazines, online newspapers or magazines funded

The rationale for the MDDA strategic focus for the ensuing period is predicated on the fact that historically disadvantaged communities are deprived of access to information that can assist them to participate actively in socio-economic improvement and democratic processes of the country. Current media is still insufficiently diverse with respect to reflection of the concerns of especially the socio-economically marginalised communities and use of indigenous languages.

It is our hope that as we plan forward we will together ensure that the Agency is adequately resourced in order for it to respond to the potential growth of the community broadcasting sector, as envisaged in the ECA and the new regulatory framework outlined in ICASA Position Paper on Community Sound Broadcasting licenses; as well as continue making efforts to seek out more resources for the small commercial print media sector.

It is our hope that the new Electronic Communications Act of 2005 dispensation provides an opportunity for the Agency to grow and be strong in its pursuit and delivery of its mandate, with respect to broadcast and new media. At the same time, part of the necessary steps to be considered by the Agency is to start to engage with Print Media Funders, as the expiring funding agreements get reviewed, to consider similar funding contributions or to source additional funding so that the small print media sector can benefit on a scale comparable to the which the ECA brings to the small broadcast and new media sector.

Issued by:

Lumko Mtimde
Chief Executive Officer
26 September 2007