Significance Who should attend? Objectives Content Methodology Schedule 2009 Fees Venue Apply to register Convenor Course extranet - students only

Broadcasting Policy & Regulatory Trends
Some people will say that the traditional notion of "broadcasting" barely make sense any more - now that so much traditional broadcast content is being consumed via interactive, user-driven, non-broadcast, "narrowcast" channels, and now that many traditional broadcasting networks are carrying so much non-audio, non-video data content.

What then does all this mean for broadcasting regulation and policymaking?

The Wits LINK Centre's Broadcasting Policy & Regulatory Trends Course, delivered at the Wits University Graduate School of Public & Development Management (P&DM) in Parktown, Johannesburg, will give you an in-depth understanding of the policy and regulatory issues and trends affecting broadcasting in the digitised, converged, globalised media / communications / ICT environment of today.

Over five days, from Monday to Friday 24 - 28 August 2009, Wits university staff and associates, along with experts working in the sector, will take participants through the key market, technology, policy and regulatoy trends in broadcasting today, at international level and in Africa and South Africa.

Significance

This course is designed to address the constantly evolving issues and concerns inherent in the dynamic and fast-paced nature of the broadcasting sector. These changes - driven by rapidly developing technologies, by evolving legal and regulatory environments and by the emergence of new markets, services and applications - give rise to increased demands for training and information. The advent of digitisation, convergence and globalisation intensify the ongoing need for people in broadcasting and related ICT / media / communications sectors to remain informed of international trends and practices.

Who should attend?

Decision-makers and policymakers in South Africa at the Department of Communications (DoC), ICASA and the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) should attend, as well as managers in industry (manufacturers, operators and service providers), bidders for TV, video and radio licences, lawyers, consultants, journalists, union officials and NGOs involved in the sector. The course will also be appropriate for policymakers, regulators, broadcast licencees, services providers, lawyers, consultants, journalists, union representatives and NGOs from elsewhere in Africa.

Objectives

By the end of the course, the successful participant will be able to:

• describe and interpret the broad impacts of digitalisation, globalisation and convergence on broadcasting;
• describe and analyse both traditional and contemporary notions/objectives underlying the regulation of broadcasting;
• demonstrate an understanding of key broadcasting market trends and the policy/regulatory implications of these trends;
• demonstrate an understanding of key features of the current policy and regulatory environment for broadcasters internationally, in Africa and in South Africa.

Course Delivery

Wits P&DM Visiting Professor Richard Collins, a broadcasting policy expert from the Open University, UK, will deliver several of the lectures and will help facilitate discussion throughout the week of the course. Prof. Collins, a Professor of Media Studies, is a widely published academic on broadcasting policy matters and has held various university teaching posts over the past 20 years in the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and South Africa. In addition to his academic work, Prof. Collins founded the Media and Communication Policy Research Programme at the UK's Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR); was an Advisor to the Director-General of Telecommunications at UK's Oftel in 1996-1998; was an Advisor to the Director of Strategy at Oftel in 2002-2004; and was Specialist Advisor to the UK House of Lords Select Committee on the Review of the BBC Charter in 2005-06.

Other lectures and presentations over the five days of the course are to be delivered by a mix of Wits academics, associates and industry experts.

Certificate Students

A Wits P&DM Certificate of Competence in Broadcasting Policy & Regulatory Trends, at Honour's / Post-Graduate Diploma-level (HEQF Level 8), will be awarded to candidates who attend at least 80% of classroom sessions in the five-day module and who successfully complete the required in-class group work assignment (worth 25% of the grade) and the individual exam-equivalent written assignment (a research paper, worth 75%). A Certificate of Attendance will be awarded to candidates who attend at least 80% of classes but who do not satisfactorily complete the required assignments.

Master's Students

The course can also be taken as a Master's Elective (at HEQF Level 9) by students enrolled in the Wits P&DM Master of Management in ICT Policy & Regulation (MM(ICTPR)), or by students in other Wits P&DM Master's degree programmes such as the Master of Management in Public Policy (MM-PP).

The Elective credits will be awarded to Master's students who attend at least 80% of classes and satisfactorily complete the in-class group work assignment (worth 25%) and exam-equivalent written assignment (research paper, worth 75%).

Course Content

The syllabus covers the following:

• Broadcasting history and evolution
• Broadcast policy / regulatory values and objectives – the public interest, democracy, development, pluralism and diversity, freedom of expression, identity-building, nation-building, economic growth
• National broadcasting sector models – PSB (public service broadcasting), commercial, mixed PSB / commercial, community broadcasters, state broadcasters
• International and African technical and market trends
• International and African policy and regulatory trends
• Digital migration: policy, regulation and current status

Methodology

An interactive teaching methodology is used, with lectures and presentations from experts in the field and with encouragement of Q&A and classroom discussion throughout. Readings will be provided via a mix of hard-copies and online materials accessible via the LINK Centre's content management system (participants will get a username and password for access to these online materials).

Course participants are evaluated via a group work assignment (worth 25%) due on the final day of the course, and via an individual exam-equivalent written assignment (worth 75%) due on 9 October 2009 (six weeks after completion of the course). The individual exam-equivalent assignment will be a fully-referenced research paper of approximately 2,000 words in length (based on assignment guidelines circulated to students and contained in the Wits P&DM MM-ICTPR Study Guide).

Schedule 2009

The Broadcasting Policy & Regulatory Trends Course (PADM7004) runs over five days, from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday, 24 - 28 August 2009.

Fees

he course cost is R 8 000.00 (including VAT) per participant, and the fee covers lunches / teas for the 5 days as well as course materials.

Venue

(P&DM), Wits Management Campus (same campus as Wits Business School), 2 St David's Place (offt St Andrew's Road), Parktown, Johannesburg.

Apply to register

Registration for this course is done online. Please click here to complete the online registration form, and then click the 'submit' button. The course name for this course should be entered on this page as BPRT.

Your registration on this course will be confirmed by e-mail. Your place on the course is secured as soon as proof of payment has been faxed to (011) 717 1065, marked for the attention of Tennyson Mashiloane (+ 27 11 717-1188), or e-mailed to Tennyson Mashiloane.

Master's students must register through the Wits P&DM Faculty Office.

Convenors

For questions about applying to register, course content or any other matter related to the course, contact Course Convener Michelle Roseborough at the Wits LINK Centre on +27 73-814-1454 .

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