The SABC's new interim board wants to get rid of the 90% local content rule which has been blamed for adding to the state broadcaster's financial woes, according to a report in The Post:
The new SABC board is taking action to scrap the widely ridiculed 90:10 decision on content after it had "undermined the entire business" of the public broadcaster. A meeting was expected to take place by time of publication yesterday [Tuesday] afternoon.
Citing board member Krish Naidoo, The Post report said if the board agreed the broadcaster would most likely revert to its previous 60% local content quota.
The SABC had only recently confirmed that Hlaudi Motsoeneng's policy of 90% local music and 80% local television programmes will remain in place.
A report compiled by Parliament's ad hoc committee into SABC, which includes a recommendation that President Jacob Zuma seriously consider firing Communications Minister Faith Muthambi, was adopted in the National Assembly in March.
William Bird, a director at lobby group Media Monitoring Africa, told Fin24 that broadcasting between 80-90% local content could cost the SABC further financial losses in future.
Its results for the 2015/16 financial year showed a R411-million net loss.
Bird told Fin24:
"This is the second year and the losses are increasing, albeit slowly. What we don't know yet is the impact of the 90% local content regulations.
"It's dependent on what the real impact of the 90% is going to be and where they're going to get the money from to produce all this extra local content."