CTV calls on Capetonians to march for ‘free airwaves'

CTV has been on air for more than a year, providing what it believes is relevant, informative local and international programming to nearly a million viewers. The channel is now coming under threat due to government's lack of support for community TV and the channel believes that in order to save community TV from commercialisation and preserve it as a space for freedom of expression, it is critical that everyone stand up for its right to communicate.

Issues

• ICASA plans to take CTV off air early next year to make way for cellphone TV because it has not allocated any frequencies for CTV use;
  
• Non-profit community TV stations are charged commercial rates for transmission costs by the state-owned Sentech;
  
• Community TV stations are not protected during and after the migration to digital terrestrial television.

Demands

• That it is not switched off next year but that a frequency is located for its use;
  
• Immediate government financial support for community broadcasters' signal distribution costs - including community radio;
  
• Sentech provides CTV with a good-quality signal and transmission free or at a significantly reduced rate;
  
• Community TV be protected during and after the migration to digital terrestrial television;
  
• Freedom of expression and the right to communicate.