Clare O'Neil to oversee SABC sales, marketing

Spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said late last week that the decision to appoint O'Neil is part of the programme aiming to 'turn around' and 'stabilise' the corporation.

The government-controlled public broadcaster, which is emerging - slowly but surely - from a terrible financial and management crisis, has been trying hard since last year's appointment of an interim board to heal its wounds inflicted by several years of plundering, power struggles, nepotism, back-stabbing, political interference and mismanagement.

Two critical requirements

Kate Skinner, spokesperson for SOS Supporting Public Broadcasting, told Bizcommunity.com last night: "Our view is that in order for SABC to pay back their government guarantee of R1.47billion, it is critical that they do two things - one: reduce costs, and two: increase revenue while strengthening their public broadcasting mandate.

"The interim board started the difficult task of reducing costs and now it has become critical to boost income. There are worries that the sales and marketing department (commercial enterprises) will not meet its targets.

"The SABC has been losing market shares. This division certainly needs to be re-organised and made much more efficient.

"Also, there are major inefficiencies such as adverts aren't flighted on time. Besides, there have been allegations of corruption, preferential deals for certain clients and so on.

"This needs to be dealt with very decisively. It is therefore important that the SABC board and management focus on this division. The boosting of advertising revenue is key to the SABC's turnaround strategy."

O'Neil, who is said to be armed with 'super knowledge' and experience in the field of advertising and related activities, will contribute to strategic and operational planning on SABC revenues and exercise oversight over implementation of the turnaround programme.

Kganyago said the arrangement is expected to last for several months.

Board must play its role

However, Skinner insists that O'Neil's new powers must be clarified as it is critical to avoid problems in the past when the board was seen to be meddling in the public broadcaster's operations.

"The board needs to set the strategy and then ensure this strategy is implemented. The board's role is strategy and oversight not operations," she urged.

Contrary to earlier reports that O'Neil will become a full time 'senior manager' of the corporation, Kganyago reiterated that she will remain a board member and will not serve directly in the SABC structures.

The reports, which insiders allege were fabricated by an official of the trade union BEMAWU, have been rubbished by the board as inaccurate.

The SABC called on analysts and commentators to treat future claims from 'this source' with caution.

Poor communication slammed

For years, the SABC has been lambasted for its poor communication strategies - external and internal - a trend that forces the media, stakeholders and even its own staff to go 'underground' to seek the 'naked truth'.

Skinner believes there have been problems with how the O'Neil project has been communicated to staff.

"The internal communication channels at the SABC need to be strengthened.

"Sadly the SABC is plagued by a culture of fear, rumours and half-truths. This is an indication of poor internal communication strategies. This is something the board and management urgently need to attend to.

"They need to play a leadership role. There needs to be a good, cooperative relationship between all the internal stakeholders. This is absolutely critical going forward. It is one of the key factors seen as critical to the success of the turnaround strategy," Skinner pointed out.