South Sudan media outlets call for lower regulatory fees
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Radio Tamazuj
South Sudanese media outlets say high regulatory fees and rising operating costs threaten their survival and editorial independence. At a meeting in Juba organised by the Association for Media Development in South Sudan, their representatives called for frequency and licence fees to be reviewed, reports Radio Tamazuj.
South Sudanese media outlets have called for a reduction in frequency and operating licence fees, which they consider too high for a sector facing rising costs. The demand was made on Tuesday 20 October in Juba, at a dialogue bringing together media professionals, government officials and regulators, according to Radio Tamazuj.
The Association for Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS), which organised the meeting with the support of Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), presented a position paper calling for media companies to be involved in drawing up the rules governing their activities. Its director, Ayaa Irene Lokang, acknowledged the role of regulatory institutions, while maintaining that media owners should be able to contribute to defining the obligations imposed on them.
The paper is based on discussions held in April among industry leaders, who reported rising expenses, declining advertising revenue and limited opportunities to monetise content. The organisations are calling for regulatory fees to be adjusted to their financial situation and for regular dialogue to be established with regulators, according to Radio Tamazuj.
South Sudan’s Undersecretary of Information, Arok Dut Arok, acknowledged the difficulties faced by community radio stations and national media, including power shortages, weak advertising and declining donor funding. Joyce Maker, NPA’s media rights partnerships officer, called for a balance between compliance with rules and the sector’s economic viability, according to the same outlet.
