M-Net has described the decision to close open time by Icasa as a backward step for the broadcasting industry in South Africa.

"Closing open-time will negatively impact viewers, the production industry and the broadcast sector as a whole", said M-Net CEO, Glen Marques, commenting on the decision.

Icasa published a notice in the Government Gazette earlier this week stating that it has decided to amend the M-Net broadcast licence by closing open time. The regulator proposes that the closure take effect 18 months from date of the notice. The decision by Icasa follows a process initiated last year in which the regulator proposed amending the M-Net licence by closing open time and called for comment. Numerous submissions, both written and oral, were made the majority of which were in favour of retaining the open window.

According to Marques, closing open time will force M-Net to re-evaluate the programming it currently schedules in the two-hour slot. "The local production sector is likely to be most impacted," he said. "Viewers who are not subscribers to M-Net will be deprived of some of their favourite programming such as Egoli and the popular reality shows like Idols, The Block and Big Brother".

The reasons for ICASA's decision are awaited. Marques says that the rationale is unclear, "It effectively diminishes competition in the sector. Neither the SABC or ETV were able to conclusively show that they would benefit from the closure by way of increased advertising revenue".

Interested parties have been given 21 days in which to comment on the decision and a further round of oral hearings will be held.

"M-Net will definitely be making further representations to the regulator," said Marques.