Question NW242 to the Minister of Environmental Affairs
11 March 2016 - NW242
Ntobongwana, Ms P to ask the Minister of Environmental Affairs
Whether she and/or her department has bought advertising space in The New Age in the (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15 financial years; if so, (i) what number of times and (ii) for what amount in each specified financial year?
Reply:
Currently, the department’s above-the-line advertising campaigns are placed through the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), in compliance with the Cabinet decision of 8 June 2011.
GCIS uses an independent tool to assist in determining the best mediums to procure from any specific media campaign request. The mediums chosen are based on the Telmar software tools which give guidance on the best option to propose to a department that is making the request. This tool is supported by Independent media research analysis based on South African Advertising Research Foundation, TAMS and RAMS complemented by Audit Bureau of circulation data.
From the time the GCIS brought the in-house media buying, it has reaped considerable savings and discounts for Government.
Although the question asks for advertising costs incurred from financial years 2012 to 2015, advertising is a standard line item in each department’s / entity’s budget, which is approved by Parliament annually.
Government departments and their entities account for expenditure by tabling annual reports every year, and this document, inclusive of this line item (i.e. Advertising) are audited by the Auditor-General, who makes recommendations on any findings. Annual Reports are widely available to the public.
---ooOoo---