South Sudan cabinet passes a number of media bills
By James Gatdet Dak
August 2, 2009 (JUBA) – A number of the long-awaited media bills have been passed by the Council of Ministers for the semi-autonomous region of Southern Sudan, pending endorsement by the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly and signing into laws by the President.
The legal powers of the Media Authority shall vest in its Board of Directors. A Managing Director shall be appointed and will be responsible for all regulatory and administrative functions of the Media Authority.
The Authority shall oversee media activities in Southern Sudan, consistent with constitutional and international guarantees of freedom of expression, and promote public interest in the media sector.
The Acting Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Gabriel Changson Chang, told the press that the functions of the Media Authority shall include issuing licenses for the provision of broadcasting, electronic and print media services and implementing a Broadcasting Frequency Plan to ensure orderly and optimal use of the broadcasting frequency spectrum, among others.
Public, private and political parties’ organizations shall have the right under the pending law to establish broadcasting, electronic or print media houses in Southern Sudan.
The Authority shall be responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the advertisements, programs and technical codes and to ensure that license conditions are respected by the licensee.
It shall be impartial in the exercise of its functions and duties and shall, at all times, promote media policy.
The cabinet also passed The Right to Information Bill, 2009. The pending law shall give the right to citizens to have access to information of the government’s documentations in the interest of the public.
Gabriel Changson said an institution shall be established with the duties to categorize government’s documentations into classified and declassified and to periodically decide on which documentations the public should have access to.
Earlier the Council of Ministers also passed another bill for establishing the Southern Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC).
The law, after its endorsement by the semi-autonomous parliament, will make radio and TV broadcasting service become an independent institution which will be supervised by the Ministry of Information.
Currently radio and TV broadcasting services are departments within the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
SSBC shall have a Board of Directors appointed by the President and a Managing Director to run its day to day activities.
(ST)
Oduck Bol
South Sudan cabinet passes a number of media bills
It is easy to make a bills when it is not your interest and it is hard to make a bills when it is your interest. Why there is no law for people who loot public properties ever day, attack other nation , grab land of others, and tribalism at job opportunity? I have understood that there are some of you who own the government of South as they own their houses. we will see you on election day. Good luck.
Oduck Bol
Raan Naath
South Sudan cabinet passes a number of media bills
Dear Southerners,
I know and I was aware that SPLM will bring the positive change to Sudanese community.
Congratulation to the Government of Southern sudan to passed the media laws which Khartoum Government never do.
please GOSS Keep it up