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Application for a Commercial Broadcasting Service Licence
    

Description | Steps to follow | Legal framework | Service standard | Cost | Forms to complete | Contact details

Description

A Commercial Broadcasting Service Licence is issued to a broadcasting service operating for profit or as part of a profit entity. The South African Broadcasting Services (SABC) is the only licensed public broadcaster in South Africa.

  • Any person intending to offer a commercial broadcasting service must hold a Commercial Sound Broadcasting Licence.
  • Any person intending to offer a commercial broadcasting service must comply with the schedules as prescribed by the Invitation to Apply (ITA) for a Commercial Sound Broadcasting Licence, which is legally published in the Government Gazette. The schedules normally consist of six sections, namely:

o General Terms and Conditions: process to be followed
o Corporate Status: Legal status of applicant
o Programming: Local Content Quotas; Language; Aired Programmes
o Demand and need for the proposed service
o Finances
o Technical requirements.

The application form and the proposed geographical areas form part of the Government Gazette issued for the specific invitation to apply.

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Steps to follow

  • Complete the application form in print, using capital letters.
  • Submit the original and 16 certified copies of the application form and a non-refundable application fee to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA).
  • Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant and no responsibility for any inconvenience will be accepted.

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Legal framework

(Documents are provided in PDF format. To open PDF documents, you need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader 4 or higher installed on your computer.)

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Service standard

Licensing may take 6 to 12 months.

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Cost

  • R30 000, non-refundable application fee.
  • R2 500 is required for the issuing of a licence after it has been awarded.

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Forms to complete

Application form will be part of the Government Gazette schedules.

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Contact details

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