South African Media Policy and Regulation

Shorttitle: Broadcasting Policy and Regulations - This study is an inquiry into South African media policy and regulation and its impact on the role of private commercial broadcasting in the country, with particular reference to e.tv in 2006. The study makes use of e.tv’s Annual Compliance Report of 2006, e.tv’s Complaints Report of 2006, and the Broadcasting Complaint Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) Report of 2004-2006 and its Judgements Records of 2006 regarding e.tv. The study is as a quest to identify the role of the private commercial broadcaster in a democratising society. The study reveals that e.tv provides a platform for the public sphere in South African society. It has also found that e.tv provides an alternative voice to that of the public broadcaster. The study establishes that e.tv is able to balance between serving market interest and serving public interest by complying with and adhering to media policies and regulations.