SECTOR 3 biased news and current-affairs shows as a result of the blacklisting, ICASA dismissed the complaint, claiming it did not have jurisdiction over an SABC “internal journalistic matter”. In 2011 the High Court ruled that ICASA’s interpretation of its jurisdiction was flawed and it must reconsider the matter. The precursor to ICASA, the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), had a more legitimate status. Currently ICASA board members must be publicly nominated and parliament must shortlist the candidates. Currently the Minister of Communications, and not the president, appoints the board members, based on the shortlist. “We have the constitutional protection for an independent, regulatory body for broadcasting, but we don’t have the political will for it to be genuinely independent.” 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: 2.4 (2010: 2.9; 2008: n/a; 2006: n/a) 3.3 The body, which regulates broadcasting services and licences, does so in the public interest and ensures fairness and a diversity of views broadly representing society at large. ICASA (Independent Communications Authority of South Africa) is generally seen to be capable in the allocation of public, commercial and community radio and television licences and this is considered to be a transparent process. There are very few districts in the country without a radio or television station. In the runup to the launch of digital terrestrial television in South Africa by June 2015, ICASA has imposed a temporary moratorium on allocating community television licences. ICASA does not fulfil its role as a monitor of local content on public, commercial or community broadcast stations, to see if the stations are adhering to their licence conditions. The routine reason given for this is the lack of capacity. As a result, the regulator is not in a position to ensure that broadcasters disseminate a diversity of views that broadly represent the public at large. 50 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SOUTH AFRICA 2013