Celebrating 20 Years
MDDA MARKS 20 YEARS OF EXISTENCE
10 August 2023
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The Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) will this month mark 20 years of existence through a series of planned activities under the theme “Democracy and Diversity: Celebrating 20 Years of Access to Information and Media Freedom through community media.”
The MDDA is a statutory development agency whose mandate is to promote and ensure media development and diversity. It is a partnership between the South African government and major print and broadcast companies aimed at developing community and small commercial media in South Africa. It was established in 2003, in terms of the MDDA Act No. 14 of 2002 and started providing grant funding to projects on 29 January 2004.
“At the heart of our efforts is the development of community media, including community television, radio and print, which allows people at grassroots level to receive information, voice their perspectives, concerns and actively participate in our democracy. Community media ensures that the interests of communities are represented and reflected as part of our diverse nation. It engages people from different cultures and through the use of indigenous languages, it is able to advance dialogue,” says MDDA Acting CEO Ms Nomkhosi Peter.
For the past 20 years, in line with its statutory mandate the MDDA has rapidly increased both the number and reach of the projects it supports. Since its inception, it has funded 586 community media projects. This includes 321 community broadcast (radio and television), along with 185 community print projects such as community newspapers, magazines and small commercial print.
To mark this important milestone, the MDDA will in the week of 16- 19 October mark advancements in Media Freedom through a series of activities that will culminate with a dinner event to be hosted by Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni on 19 October 2023 (Black Wednesday).