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
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

Venue

Date: 31 July 2008
Location: Media Development and Diversity Agency, Johannesburg
Cost: Quotations required
More info: Kindly submit your proposal to conduct the above and a reasonable quotation, by email to:

Contact: Ms Jayshree Pather
Company name: Media Development and Diversity Agency
Telephone number: +27 11 726 3336
Email address jayshree@mdda.org.za