The proposed changes to its television channels, particularly the new representation of languages, suggests that the SABC is finally beginning the challenging process of change into a true public broadcaster. Part of serving the public, however, involves interaction and feedback from that public as to how it would like to be portrayed, and what it would like to see. The IBA's recommendation for public hearings to be held to comment on the changes should be rudimentary in any of the SABC's plans. A culture of public interaction in the working of the public broadcaster needs to be constantly reinforced to ensure participation in programming and policy changes. At the same time, there has been a plethora of public hearings on public broadcasting in the past year.
The spectacular launch on 4 February of the three new channels, SABC 1, 2 & and 3 - whilst clearly impressively expensive - does little to hide the fact that language is the basis of change on public broadcast television. To what extent, however, is the programming changing? The language spread opens up the accessibility of programmes to viewers, but does this account for qualitative change in what viewers are watching? Patience and time will allow the SABC an opportunity to institute these changes. The question remains, however, whether viewers are prepared to to tolerate the manner in which these changes have been made.