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The following article is from the upcoming issue of Videazimut's
newsletter Clips.  The upcoming issue will be available in
separate English, French and Spanish editions at the end of
September.  Clips is published three times a year.

Subscriptions are $10 US per year in countries of the North and $5
US per year in countries of the south.  For a sample copy, please
contact:

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email: videaz@web.apc.org
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DEMOCRATIC MEDIA IN A POST APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA


The Film and Allied Workers Organisation (FAWO) is a national
organisation with offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.
It operates with the help of volunteers and one part time employee
in each region. The FAWO emerged as an anti-apartheid media
organisation in the late 80's by mobilising and organising
progressive film makers and administering the selective cultural
boycott. The FAWO formed part of the Mass Democratic Movement and
campaigned together with other progressive organisations to
challenge apartheid policies and to fight for the independence of
the electronic media and film from state control. It put
considerable resources into policy formulation for the
restructuring of the film and broadcasting industries and
initiated a highly successful campaign to get these issues onto
the negotiation table.

Part of the FAWO's work has ben on the issue of development and
affirmative action in the film industry and, through this process,
has initiated a number of projects in the fields of production,
distribution and education. The film and broadcasting industries
in South Africa have historically been manipulated by the National
Party Government to help implement its policies of apartheid. This
had serious implications for the development of film, television
and video. Marginalised and independent film and video makers have
been denied access to the means of production, financing,
training, distribution and exhibition. In spite of these
restrictions, there exists a strong oppositional film culture.

In addition, the FAWO has taken on the task of developing a
community television and access facilities for the audiovisual
sector. It is also acting as the central facilitating body,
through a process of networking and consultation, in the
development of a proposed Community Television Network in South
Africa. Interest in the project has seen the establishment of the
Community Television Consortium. Proposals are now being developed
to create a community media in South Africa.

The introduction of a community based tier of broadcasting which
creates affirmative models of women, isolated communities, various
ethnicities, young people, working class people and other
marginalised sectors of the community, must be recognised as a
pro-active step towards breaking down misconceptions and
powerlessness.

Community media will offer the democratic movement in South Africa
the opportunity to take up its position in the battle over the
limits of mobilisation, the strengthening of the position of the
disenfranchised against further loss of their power and the
creation of new opportunities for involvement as active
participants in the process of structural change.

Community media will offer a much needed alternative aimed at
redressing the imbalance of power within the electronic media,
focusing on and drawing attention to localised issues and cultural
development.

Community media will play an important cultural role in a
developing society through the development of new types of
programmes which will meet the needs of communities previously
denied relevant information.

Community media will offer training and provide entry level skills
required to gain employment in the media to people previously
denied access to broadcasting and production.

Community media should be seen as a central force for change in
South Africa. This is so important that the government should work
to develop a revenue mechanism to ensure the health, vibrancy and
vitality of the sector.

Based on a report written by the FAWO and the Community Television
Consortium in a submission to the Independent Broadcasting
Authority, S.A.