Minister of Communications to introduce new MDDA CEO and mark the agency’s 13th anniversary

The Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) turns 13 years. In celebration of this milestone, the Minister of Communications, Ms Faith Muthambi, will on Friday the 27th of January, give a keynote address and formally introduce the agency’s newly-appointed CEO to stakeholders at a breakfast session to be held in Parktown, Johannesburg. The introduction of the new CEO coincides with the MDDA turning 13 this month.

Government will continue to create a network of dedicated support for community media such as grassroots radio, television and independent community newspapers, said Muthambi. One of the primary focus of the MDDA is to empower community media which is for, by and about the community, and whose ownership and management is representative of the community.

This month is an important one for the MDDA. The agency started providing funding to community media projects on the 29th of January 2004. It is humbling to see that 13 years later, the MDDA is still going strong, added Muthambi.

Since inception the MDDA has funded over a thousand community media projects, that includes broadcasting equipment, signal cost and media training. It has also provided assistance to many community print media to help set up their operations.

Source: Government of South Africa