SABC se kommunikasie-afdeling het wel op Hanlie Retief van Rapport se vrae geantwoord.

Agtergrond

Rapport het Sondag 6 Maart ‘n berig gepubliseer waarin hulle aandui dat RSG se bestuurder, Louise Jooste, nie bereid was om vrae te antwoord nie, op haar onderneming teruggegaan het. Toe het Rapport die vrae wat aan RSG en SABC gestel is, gepubliseer, soos hulle gedreig het om te doen. (Kyk na die korrekte feite oor die proses onderaan die berig)

Hier is die SABC se antwoorde op Rapport se vrae, wat nie binne die kort 4 ure spertyd aan Rapport gestuur kon word nie, maar wel binne 28 uur nadat die vrae aan die SABC se kommunikasie-afdeling geantwoord, goedgekeur en gestuur is.

What is the role of a public broadcaster?

Public broadcaster plays a pivotal role as a dependable primary source of information through its programming. In particular, the SABC as a public service broadcaster has to  provide wide-ranging programs to inform, educate and entertain the public in all the official languages, while empowering the marginalised, and build social cohesion particularly in deep rural South Africa where the SABC is often the only source of information available. These  programs are informed by the various legal statutes including the Broadcasting Act,  the SABC Editorial Policies and ICASA regulations.

As a public broadcaster, RSG should broadcast some programmes – not because they are popular but because they fulfill an important role that commercial stations don’t do, right? Examples are news and classical music programmes.  Why has Dis klassiek been cancelled, also given the fact the commercial classical music station in Gauteng has closed? Isn’t it the obligation of a public broadcaster to broadcast programmes that arent’ accommodated on commercial stations? Isn’t this the reason why we pay licenses to free RSG from this kind of financial pressure?

RSG’s legislative and regulatory framework stipulates delivery of certain genre programming such as news, children’s programs, education, drama and 70% local music.  A wide variety of content and music is offered which is relevant, interesting and entertaining to the target audience of RSG, while over-delivering  on the mandate deliverables stipulated by ICASA.  RSG like many PBS radio stations reviews its programming and it must be emphasised that in  this process, management always prioritizes the SABC’s core mandate. RSG has always been innovative, introducing new programs and personalities in order to stay relevant and competitive in a modern era where there is an abundance of choice, change is necessary.  Dis Klassiek will finish at the end of March, but there are still many other classical music programs which RSG listeners can tune into such as Musiekbonbons, U eie keuse, Oggenstemming, Nic se goed and Dis Opera.

It is well known that Monitor is one of the most independent sources of news in the SABC. Was there pressure from management to cut Montor to size by cutting the broadcast time by 50%? There is no other programme in Afrikaans radio like Monitor, it is a 50% reduction of this kind of content in Afrikaans in the country. What is the motive behind this?

The current affairs program Spektrum will still be aired as normal and Monitor is only shortened with one hour. With the introduction of a third weekday current affairs program called Brandpunt of 15 minutes, the actual reduction of current affairs is only 45 minutes per day. RSG is still over-delivering on it’s mandate for news and current affairs even with this 45 minute reduction.  There is also still actuality programs on Saturdays and Sundays which remain in place.  Listeners therefore get a fair amount of news and actuality to keep them abreast of the latest news and events, supported by full news bulletins throughout the day that keep them informed.  The introduction of the new breakfast show Op en Wakker weekdays from 07:00-09:00 neccesitated strategic program changes.

Do you think Afrikaans people are not interested in news and actuality?

Public service broadcasting  has a pivotal role to play in ensuring that all citizens have access to information irrespective of their social standing or geographical location and Afrikaans listeners are no different. The SABC has always prioritised universal access through various platforms including the dedicated Afrikaans radio station.  Therefore, people who want to know the latest Afrikaans news and actuality can access them on various news and actuality programs and bulletins on RSG throughout the day (and week). In addition, bulletins provided on the RSG website give people easy access to news.

Has Monitor’s listeners decreased significantly compared to other RSG programs?

Listener patterns overall increased across PBS radio during Covid Lockdown due to available audiences.  As people returned to work, normal patterns indicated that breakfast and drive time shows remain the highest listenership in radio. Strengthening these day parts is the best formula in growing both audiences and revenue, for the sustainability of the station.

Or is the reason income? Is it because you want to get rid of expensive, self-produced news?

RSG does not control the budget for News production. That is the responsibility of SABC News management. Therefore program changes on the station are based on the station’s own objectives which are informed by emerging trends and ever changing audience needs and behaviour.

If the problem is finances, what has been done to get the funds to continue the programme? There is already an abundance of popular content that you are now replacing news and actuality with.

Again, continuous renewal requires strategic decisions to ensure the viability and growth of any organization.  Change prevents stagnation and creates new opportunities for audience growth and opens doors for new talent to showcase their skills.

Listeners are unhappy about the scrapping of Praat saam where they lined up to be part of a discussion of current news and issues. Why has the programme been canned?  

The majority of feedback sent directly to the station about the program changes has been positive and there’s a lot of excitement about the new breakfast show.  There’s still plenty of opportunity for listener interaction and participation on various other programs, as our mandate is to cater for every listener’s needs. We schedule different programs throughout the day to satisfy every listener’s taste. These include news and actuality programs, music and entertainment. We also extend these services to our digital platforms as most RSG listeners have access to new technologies.

Die feite wat nie deur die Rapport-berig deurgegee is nie, is as volg:

1. Op Donderdag 3 Maart om 12:23 het Hanlie Retief die volgende vrae aan Louise Jooste ge-epos nadat Jooste aangedui het sy sal kyk of sy kan help omdat sy baie besig is met kontrakte en sake-aangeleenthede van RSG. Die spertyd was minder as 24 uur later op 4 Maart om 12:00.
2. Die vrae wat Hanlie Retief aangestuur het, was as volg:

• Wat is die rol van ‘n openbare uitsaaier?
• As openbare uitsaaier behoort RSG sekere programme uit te saai nie omdat dit noodwendig gewild is nie maar omdat dit ‘n nis vul wat kommersiële stasies nie doen nie, reg?
• Voorbeelde daarvan is nuus, klassieke musiek en onderwysprogramme. Hoekom verdwyn Dis Klassiek, ‘n ankerprogram?
• Hoekom die klassieke musiek-aanbod verskraal, veral gesien in die lug daarvan dat die kommersiële stasie wat klassieke musiek uitgesaai het in die noorde van die land nou boonop van die lug af is?
• Is dit nie die plig van ‘n openbare uitsaaier om programme uit te saai wat nie ‘n plek het op ander stasies nie?
• Is dit nie die júís hoekom ons ‘n lisensiefooi betaal om die SAUK vry te stel van die dié druk nie?
• Wat sê jul lisensievereistes?
• Dis welbekend, ook in die joernalistieke omgewing, dat Monitor een van die mees onafhanklike nuusbronne in die SAUK is. Was daar druk van bestuur om Monitor se vlerke te sny?
• Daar is geen ander program soos Monitor op radio nie, dis ‘n 50% vermindering van dié soort inhoud in Afrikaans in die land. Wat is die beweegrede?
• Of dink julle Afrikaanse mense stel nie belang in nuus en aktualiteit nie?
• Het Monitor se luistertalle noemenswaardig afgeneem teenoor ander rsg-programme?
• Of gaan dit oor inkomste? Raak julle nie maar net ontslae van duur, selfvervaardigde nuus nie?
• As finansies die probleem is, is dít nie die probleem om op te los nie? Wat is gedoen om die fondse in die hande vir dié nuusinhoud te kry? As openbaaier uitsaaier kan julle tog nie sê die geld is té min kom ons halveer die program nie?
• Dis immers nie ‘n gewone kommersiële besluit nie?
• Die ligte, gewilde inhoud waarmee julle nou aktualiteit vervang, word boonop reeds verteenwoordig in die res van aanbod op rsg?
• Luisteraars kla Praat Saam het hulle die geleentheid gegee om saam te praat oor aktualiteit en nuus, hoekom word dié geleentheid hulle nou ontneem?

3. Op Donderdag 3 Maart om 21:13, nadat Jooste die eerste keer kans gekry het om na die vrae te kyk, het sy besef dit het nie net betrekking op RSG nie maar behoort eerder deur SABC se kommunikasiedienste, beantwoord te word. Sy het Hanlie Retief laat weet dat sy dus nie die vrae kan beantwoord nie.
4. Op Donderdag 3 Maart om 21:24 het Hanlie Retief gevra of daar iemand anders is wat die vrae kan beanwoord, en indien dit nie betyds beantwoord kan word nie, sal die vrae sonder antwoorde steeds gepubliseer word.
5. Op 3 Maart om 21:43 het Jooste Retief verwys na twee persone met hul kontak e-posse by die kommunikasie-afdeling. Dit het die kommunikasie-afdeling, waar verskeie bestuurshoofde se goedkeuring verkry moes word, met ‘n oggend gelaat om die vrae te beantwoord en goedgekeur te kry.
6. SABC se Kommunikasie-afdeling het Saterdag 5 Maart om 12:28  – binne 28 uur nadat hulle aan die antwoorde kon werk – die antwoorde aan Hanlie Retief gestuur, waarop Hanlie om 18:42 laat weet het dat haar spertyd reeds Vrydag 4 Maart om 15:30 was.