PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO: 747
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 14 August 2009
QUESTION PAPER NO: 9
DATE OF REPLY: 8 September 2009
Ms J D Killian (COPE) asked the Minister of Communications:
(1) Whether the cost of producing and broadcasting the news contributions
by the SA Broadcasting Corporationâs international news bureaus has been
calculated; if not, why not; if so, what was the cost of (a) television and
(b) radio airtime;
(2) (a) which of the international news bureaus have been closed down and
(b) why was each closed down;
(3) which of the news bureaus will (a) remain functional for strategic
reasons and (b) be phased out in the course of this year;
(4) (a) what was the total cost to company of the international news
bureaus during the 2008-09 financial year, (b) what is the anticipated
expenditure on bureaus that will be phased out during the current financial
year and (c) how will the SABC ensure a constant flow of news from the
countries where the news bureaus have been or will be closed down?
NW869E
REPLY
I have been advised by the SABC as follows:
1) Yes, the total cost of producing and broadcasting the news contributions
by the SA Broadcasting Corporationâs international news bureaus for the
previous financial year was R49 million. The bureaus are a bimedia
operation and the costs of radio, television and new media are
calculated as a whole.
2) a) The bureaus in Kingston, Jamaica; Washington DC, USA, and
Kinshasa, DRC have been closed down.
b) The bureaus were closed to contain the operational costs of the
News Division.
(3) (a & b) The remaining bureaus are undergoing a thorough review and
further closures maybe announced.
(4) a) The total cost to company of the international news bureaus during
the 2008-09 financial year was R49 million.
b) A decision still needs to be taken about a possible phase out of
the some of the remaining bureaus.
c) The SABC will enter strategic partnerships with other news
organizations and utilize existing agency contracts in order to ensure
a constant flow of news from the countries where the news bureaus have
been closed down