3.3 The body regulates broadcasting services and licences in the public interest and ensures fairness and a diversity of views broadly representing society at large. ICASA has often been criticised for not licensing more radio stations. The regulator claims there is not enough space on the FM spectrum to allow for additional services but technical experts say the spectrum is not properly managed: SABC radio stations – their flagship station SAFM in particular – occupy a broad band within this spectrum. There are certain parts of South Africa, like the Northern Cape province, where it is does not make much business sense to start a commercial radio station because the area is sparsely populated and poor. ICASA therefore should develop and propose mechanisms on ownership and control structures which, for example, would allow bigger players to start radio stations in less resourced areas and crosssubsidise them via their more profitable operations. One of ICASA’s major responsibilities is the enforcement of licence conditions for broadcasters, among them those regarding local content. SABC, for example, submits regular compliance reports but ICASA does not keep tabs on them. Similarly the authority is not playing a proactive role in monitoring the compliance of other – commercial and community – radio stations. Many of them might well lose their licence if there was a sudden check on their performance. The reason for this state of affairs is the lack of capacity at ICASA. By failing to ensure adherence to licence conditions the regulator is thus in effect failing to promote fairness and diversity. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator. 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 2.6 (2008 = 4.1; 2006 = 4.0) AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SOUTH AFRICA 2010 45