Remember 2008? Neither do I. That year, government approved the switch to Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) but has missed its 2011 deadline. How has this been such rocket science and why should South Africans even care? If they want to still watch TV in 2015, they may want to listen up. 

The SABC board has been dissolved for the second time in less than five years, slamming the breaks on looming telecommunications thresholds.

The etv story is straightforward.

But you need to read beyond the headline for the SABC one.

(Items on Biz Community this week.)

While still in office as Minister of Communications, the late Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri initiated a process to review legislation around the SABC. This was in the face of the political conflict around the CEO and the Board, and pre-dated the economic crisis at the corporation. The then suddenly pro-Zuma Parliament didn't wait on the processes of an Mbeki-ministerial appointee, but decided to act to remove the Mbeki-approved board (which they themselves had recommended before he lost power at Polokwane).

The government's Department of Communications has done well to revive the 1990s tradition of consultative policy development, with its recent discussion paper on the future of public broadcasting"
The Department has publicised pretty well the opportunity to respond to the 67 (not kidding!) questions raised in the paper, and it has also held physical stakeholder meetings around the country.