[SN-ANNOUNCE] MDDA: Call for Proposals

[Media Development and Diversity Agency]

TO ALL SANGONeT USERS 

Trends of ownership and control of the media in South Africa

Introduction

The Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) is a statutory development
agency for promoting and ensuring media development and diversity, set up as
a partnership between the South African Government and major print and
broadcasting companies to assist in (amongst others) developing community
and small commercial media in South Africa, in terms of the MDDA Act No 14
of 2002. The MDDA Act states that the Agency’s role is to promote
development and diversity in South African media throughout the country,
consistent with the right to freedom of expression as entrenched in the
country’s constitution. Section 3 (b)(i) of the MDDA Act requires that MDDA
ensures amongst other things, encouraging ownership and control and access
to media by historically disadvantaged communities as well as by the
historically diminished indigenous language and cultural groups.

Background

The Agency calls for proposals as it commissions research into an audit of
the existing ownership and control of media in South Africa, with a
particular focus on categorising it province by province and to the extent
possible district municipality by district municipality. The study of trends
of media ownership and control will assist the MDDA to have an in-depth
understanding of the current media landscape (as well as an historical
overview) as a baseline on which to assess the extent to which the challenge
is in changing the trends of media ownership and control in pursuit of media
development and diversity. In addition it will also help unpack the
definition of community media and get a more nuanced picture of exactly what
grassroots and community media exists in South Africa vis-a-vis the
mainstream ‘knock and drop community media. 

Objectives

* Take a stock of the number of print and broadcast media in the country on
a national, provincial and district municipality basis
* Outline the ownership and control of media in the country on a national,
provincial and district municipality basis
* To establish and assess the extent that the previously disadvantaged
communities are taking up ownership and control of media
* To assess the strides made to date in ensuring diversity in media
ownership and control
* To establish (in respect of journalistic content online) who owns the most
popular South African news sites
* To establish who owns the space on cellphone content, in order to
understand whether there is diversity in this space, whether opportunities
exist for new players and the role of cellphone companies (if any)

Methodology

The prospective bidders will be expected to use both qualitative and
quantitative approaches to allow for an in-depth analysis of acquired data
this can include any best methodology that can be used to gather the
required information, to conduct the study and provide recommendations to
the MDDA. This will take into consideration the existing information, from
such institutions as ICASA, NAB, NCRF, IFRB, ACB, PMSA, AIPSA, who’s who,
etc. to avoid duplication to the greatest extent possible.

Skills and Competencies
The Service Provider must demonstrate the following skills and capabilities:

1. Extensive experience in conducting research
2. Experience in using both qualitative and qualitative research
3. Evidence of data analysis and data mining 
4. Understanding of the media sector
5. Ability to write reports
6. Ability to manage and stick to dead lines
7. Ability to do presentations

Timelines
The closing date for expressions of interest is Monday 31st July 2008.

Costs
Bidders are to specify a detailed budget for undertaking the required study.

Deliverables
* The successful bidder will be expected to do a formal presentation of the
findings to the MDDA.
* The service provider will be expected to submit a professionally written
and bound report to the MDDA, 10 copies and a CD.
 
The submissions should include:

* Company profile
* HDI and BEE status (details and proof)
* Methodology
* Costs 
* Work plan
* Three contactable references

Kindly submit your proposal to conduct the above and a reasonable quotation,
by email to:

Ms Jayshree Pather: Jayshree at mdda.org.za   
Tel: 011 726 3336 
Due date: 31 July 2008 
Time: 12h00