SECTOR 1 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: ✓✓✓✓✓ ✓ ✓✓✓✓ ✓ ✓ 4.8 (2013: 3.8; 2010: 3.5; 2008: 3.9; 2006: 2.7) 1.11 Media legislation evolves from meaningful consultations among state institutions, citizens and interest groups Panellists felt that while there are consultations, ‘these are not always very effective’. ‘Sometimes it feels like the state is just ticking a box, paying lip-service to consulting citizens and other stakeholders as there is a sense that they know what they want to do already.’ One panellist noted that, while there is a non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Parliamentary Monitoring Group, which oversees the meetings of more than 50 parliamentary committees, the state still tended to rush into processing laws, not providing sufficient time for consultations with relevant parties before laws were passed. ‘The DTT [Digital Terrestrial Television] issues are a case in point. Even after many consultations were undertaken, when the new Communications Minister [Nomvula Mokonyane] came in[to service in] 2018, the entire process was derailed and had to begin again. If a new minister has no political will to effect certain changes, it does have an impact on the legislation process because the environment doesn’t allow for decisions taken previously to be enforced.’ Another panellist noted that, ‘We do have an open committee process, which is a positive. The original Protection of State Information Bill was kicked out as a result of public protest.’ Panellists considered parliament much better at consulting than the executive, and the proposed amendments to the Broadcasting Act (1999) are a case in point. Parliament threw out the Broadcasting Amendment Bill in 2018, following vociferous opposition from media coalition groups and civil society because it would have granted the Communications Minister, instead of the National Assembly, the power to appoint the SABC board. 19 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SOUTH AFRICA 2018