Broadcasting

ICASA is the official regulator of the South African broadcasting, telecommunications and postal services sectors.

We develop regulations for the broadcasting industry, issue licences to service providers, plan and manage the radio frequency spectrum, and protect consumers against poor-quality services.

We are also mandated to receive complaints from the public about poor services provided by broadcasting licensees. We facilitate the resolution of these complaints or refer them to the Complaint and Compliance Committee.

In terms of the South African Constitution, Parliament had to establish an independent regulatory institution, now known as ICASA, which has to provide for the regulation of broadcasting in the public interest and to ensure fairness and a diversity of views broadly representing South African society.

The Broadcasting Act 4 of 1999 clarifies the powers of the minister and ICASA respectively and provides for the regulation of broadcasting activities in the public interest. 

The Electronic Communications Act, No 36 of 2005, as amended, promotes convergence in the broadcasting, broadcasting signal distribution and telecommunications sectors and provides the legal framework for convergence of these sectors.

View broadcasting legislations 
View the broadcasting act

   

Election broadcast period and Party Election Broadcast (PEB) slots - 2019 national and provincial elections

The Authority published in the government gazette the Regulations on Party Election Broadcasts, Political Advertisements and the Equitable treatment of Political Parties by Broadcasting Service Licensees on 25 February 2019. The Authority further made slight amendments to the Regulations on 02 April 2019 to allow equitable airtime to be allocated to political parties.

These Regulations came into being subsequent to the Authority’s extensive consultation and workshops held with Political Parties and broadcasting service licensees across the country. All contributions were considered in developing the final regulations that will govern fair and equitable coverage of the May 8, 2019 elections by licensed broadcasters.

Regulation 5 of the Party Elections Broadcasts and Political Advertisements Regulations provides for the allocation of PEB slots to registered political parties contesting the national and provincial elections on the basis of the respective principles set out in Annexure A of the said Regulations. ICASA received the list of contesting political parties from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)on the 2nd April 2019. Subsequently, the Authority held a session to allocate PEB slots to listed political on the 4th April 2019.

 Click HERE to access the 2019 National and Provincial PEB Schedule for TV & Radio

Broadcasting Sector Regulations

Title Publish Date Gazette Number Download
Title Publish Date Gazette Number Download
Published Draft Amendment regulations and Explanatory Memo National and Provincial Elections 2023-10-15 49406
Party Elections Broadcasts and Political Advertisement and Related Matters - Amendment Regulations 2019 2019-02-25 42249
​ICASA Regulations on South African Music 2016 2016-03-23 39844
Local Television Content Regulations 2016 2018-01-26 39844
Advertising and Infomercials and Programme Sponsorship​ 1993 2018-08-07 23389
​Amendment of Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy 2015​ 2018-08-07 38583
Terrestrial Broadcasting Frequency Plan 2013 2013-04-03 36321
Subscription Broadcasting Services Regulations 2006 2006-01-31 28452
Standard Terms and Conditions for Individual Licences 2016 2018-03-14 39875
Standard Terms and Conditions for Class licence 2016 2018-03-14 39872
Sport Broadcasting Services Regulations 2010 2010-04-07 33079
South African Music and Television Content and Reasons Document 2016-03-30 39844
Regulations: Standard Terms and Conditions for Individual Licences, 2010 2010-06-14 33294
Prescribed Annual Contributions of Licensees to the Universal Service and Access Fund 2011 2011-02-10 34010
Commissioning of Independently Produced South African Programming 2009-12-01 32767
Licensing Processes and Procedures Regulations for Individual Licences 2016 2018-03-16 39871
Amendment Class Processes and Procedures Regulations 2015 2018-03-16 39874
Must Carry Regulations 2008 2008-10-31 31500
Moratorium on Class Community Sound Broadcasting Licences 2015-09-25 39226
Licensing Processes and Procedures for Individual Licences 2010 2018-03-14 33293
Class Licensing and Procedures Regulations 2010 2018-03-14 33297
General Licence Fees Regulations - 2013 2013-04-02 36323
Digital Migration Regulations 2012, Gazette No.36000 2012-12-18 36000
Advertising, Infomercials and Programme Sponsorship -1999 2000-04-01 19922
Code of Conduct for Broadcasting Service Licensees Regulations, 2009 2018-03-14 32381

List of Class Broadcasting Licencees