SA BROADCASTERS TO CO-OPERATE IN ELECTION BROADCASTS

JOHANNESBURG Aug 29 Sapa

South African broadcasters met in Johannesburg on Tuesday to
lay the foundation for co-operative broadcasting for the
forthcoming local government elections.

Those present included the South African Broadcasting
Corporation, the Transkei Broadcasting Corporation, the Ciskei
Broadcasting Corporation and Radio Thohoyandou.

The SABC said in a statement this first phase of co-operation
would open the way for further, closer working arrangements that
would culminate in the integration of their services.

It was agreed to:

- form a joint management structure to give direction to all
those reporting to it during the elections;

- create other structures below this for co-ordinating Xhosa
broadcasts in the Eastern Cape and Venda broadcasts in Northern
Province, and ensuring effective election coverage there; and

- co-ordinate all signal distribution for election coverage by
the SABC's distribution arm, Sentech, which would create a forum
for that purpose.

A neutral name would be created for the joint election
broadcasts.

The SABC said Tuesday's meeting was notified by BOP
Broadcasting Corporation that it planned to stay out of the
negotiations for co-operation between South African broadcasters
"for the time being".