SOS Launches #SaveFreeTV Campaign to Protect Public Access to Free-to-Air Television

Today marks the official launch of the #SaveFreeTV campaign, an urgent and necessary campaign aimed at safeguarding the constitutional right of  access to information, in particular free-to-air (FTA) television, for all South Africans to access. This campaign comes in response to the ongoing Broadcast Digital Migration (BDM) process and the imminent threat posed by the scheduled switch-off of the analogue television signal on 31 December 2024.

The #SaveFreeTV campaign demands that the Department of Communications and Digital Technology (DCDT) immediately halts the analogue switch-off (ASO) until critical measures are implemented to ensure millions of households do not lose access to FTA TV, their primary source for vital news, information, and entertainment.

Our demands:

We demand that the Minister of DCDT impose a moratorium on the switch-off of any further analogue transmitters and the ASO.

Our demands include:

●      An agreed threshold of 85% for the roll-out of Set Top Boxes (STBs) to indigent households.

●      A timeframe for the procurement/availability of DTH/DTT kits in retail stores.

●      Nationwide publicity and campaign on the ASO to ensure no one is left behind. 

●      The DCDT to investigate the future viability of DTT vs DTH.

●      An exploration of the cost of signal distribution and sustainability of DTT.

The transition from analogue to digital broadcasting, while a significant technological advancement, poses a grave threat to access to FTA television. With between 2.2 – 4.5 million households still reliant on analogue TV, the government’s failure to effectively roll out STBs and raise public awareness regarding registering for a government subsidised STB and the implication of ASO, could result in millions losing access to essential information and services.

In an era where misinformation is rampant, the availability of credible and free news sources is more critical than ever. The #SaveFreeTV campaign aims to ensure that no South African is left behind in this digital transition and that everyone can continue to exercise their right to accessible and reliable information.

We urge all South Africans to support the #SaveFreeTV campaign particularly the call for the postponement of the ASO date. Stand up for your right to FTA television by signing our petition, sharing our message on social media, and participating in our community events. Organisations can endorse the campaign by signing up here. Together, we can protect the future of public interest broadcasting in our country.

For more information, please email [email protected] or follow the conversation on social media using the hashtag #SaveFreeTV.

For more information contact:

Noor Ahmad

SOS Coalition

Campaigns’ and Communications’ Coordinator 

079 363 2126

[email protected]