SABC Editorial Policy Review Process Update
The SABC on the 31st of July 2017, embarked on a process to review its 2004 Editorial Policy. All nine Provinces were visited over a period of 30 days with a minimum of three locations / towns visited in each Province.
Initially the closing date for written submissions was the 29th of August 2017, but it was extended to the 29th of September 2017, due to requests from various stakeholders to extend the closing date in order to make submissions.
During the extension period, closed sessions were also conducted to allow for further engagements with stakeholders such as the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural‚ Religious and Linguistic Communities.
The SABC received over 200 submissions, which were received through the email address editorial@sabc.co.za, the SABC’s Digital news online form, as well as submissions from Provincial offices of the SABC respectively.
The Editorial Policy project team is currently collating and consolidating the verbal submissions received during the public hearings which have been recorded, to ascertain the overall number of all submissions received.
Following the consolidation of inputs and submissions by members of the project team, a draft policy will be submitted to the SABC’s Operations Committee for comment and concurrence. Thereafter the SABC Board will be afforded an opportunity to comment on the draft policy.
The SABC will then make available the draft policy to the public for further comment. In addition, the SABC will communicate the start and end period for further public comment on the draft policy.
Once these comments have been received from the public, a final draft Editorial Policy document will be submitted to the SABC Board for approval.
Once the SABC Board has approved the final draft Editorial Policy, it will be filed with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa. It is envisaged that this process will be concluded by the end of February 2018.
