{"id":24819,"date":"2026-05-18T19:19:29","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T17:19:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/?p=24819"},"modified":"2026-05-18T19:19:29","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T17:19:29","slug":"sentech-mdda-and-gcis-partner-to-drive-digital-transformation-in-community-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/blog\/2026\/05\/18\/sentech-mdda-and-gcis-partner-to-drive-digital-transformation-in-community-media\/","title":{"rendered":"Sentech,\u00a0MDDA and\u00a0GCIS Partner To Drive Digital Transformation in Community Media"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


SENTECH\u00a0SOC Ltd\u00a0together with the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA),\u00a0and\u00a0Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)\u00a0have signed a landmark Agreement marking a significant milestone in the digital transformation of South Africa’s community media sector.\u00a0The signing ceremony took place during the Sentech Africa Tech Week held at the CTICC in Cape Town on 13 May 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The agreement formalises a collaborative partnership between the parties to support the digital transformation of 22 selected community media broadcasters. With such an investment, the programme will see community radio stations gain access to live streaming capabilities, responsive websites, mobile applications, and hosting on the Freevision Play platform expanding their reach and audience accessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Freevision Play is an over-the-top (OTT) streaming platform, powered by SENTECH, that enables broadcasters to deliver audio and video content directly to audiences via the internet, augmenting traditional broadcast infrastructure. For community radio stations, inclusion on the platform represents a significant leap forward, extending their reach beyond local frequencies to listeners and viewers across the country and beyond. Through Freevision Play, participating broadcasters will be able to live-stream their content, grow their digital audiences, and establish a sustainable online presence that complements their existing on-air operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking on the significance of the agreement, MDDA CEO, Ms. Shoeshoe Qhu, said the partnership represents steps in operationalising the Agency\u2019s digital strategy which seeks to enhance digital transformation within the sector. \u201cThis agreement is a direct response to the sector’s need for sustainable digital infrastructure. Community media plays a vital role in giving voice to underserved communities, and this partnership will ensure that these voices reach wider audiences across multiple digital platforms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GCIS Acting Director-General, Ms. Nomonde Mnukwa,highlighted the alignment of the programme with government’s broader communication mandate. \u201cGCIS is committed to ensuring that all South Africans have access to diverse and credible information. Supporting the digital transformation of community media is central to that commitment, and we are proud to partner with the MDDA and Sentech in this initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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SENTECH CEO, Mr Tebogo Leshope, welcomed the agreement as an opportunity to leverage the organisation’s strategic capabilities to support community broadcasting. \u201cSentech’s mandate is to connect South Africa, and this partnership gives us the opportunity to put that mandate into action in a meaningful and impactful way. Through the Freevision Play platform, community radio stations will be able to stream their content to audiences, opening up new possibilities for reach, relevance and sustainability. We look forward to working closely with each broadcaster to deliver tailored digital solutions that meet their specific needs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Implementation will be rolled out in three phases, beginning with a Digital Readiness Assessment of all 22 broadcasters to evaluate existing infrastructure, identify gaps, and develop customised digital transformation plans. Subsequent phases will cover the full deployment of digital platforms, including encoder installation, website development, live streaming activation, and training and handover to station teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The programme is poised to leave\u00a0a lasting legacy, equipping community broadcasters with the digital tools, skills, and platforms needed to serve their communities well into the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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About SENTECH<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

SENTECH is South Africa\u2019s premier broadcast signal distributor and technology solutions provider. Through its expertise in broadcast, OTT, and digital platforms, SENTECH enables partners and communities to access content seamlessly, driving innovation, inclusion, and growth across the media and communications landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the MDDA<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The MDDA is a statutory development agency for promoting and ensuring media development and diversity. It is 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About GCIS<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Government Communication and Information System is a national government department mandated to drive coherent government messaging and ensure efficient communication across all spheres of government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SENTECH\u00a0SOC Ltd\u00a0together with the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA),\u00a0and\u00a0Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)\u00a0have signed a landmark Agreement marking a significant milestone in the digital transformation of South Africa’s community media sector.\u00a0The signing ceremony took place during the Sentech Africa Tech Week held at the CTICC in Cape Town on 13 May 2026. The… Continue reading Sentech,\u00a0MDDA and\u00a0GCIS Partner To Drive Digital Transformation in Community Media<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23822,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[372],"class_list":["post-24819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-sentech","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/sentech.jpg?fit=500%2C159&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24819","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24819"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24819\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24822,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24819\/revisions\/24822"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23822"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24819"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24819"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}