If enacted in its current form, proposed amendments to the Films and Publication Act would compel television stations to submit all their programmes to the Films and Publication Board for pre-screening, parliament's portfolio committee on home affairs heard yesterday.

If enacted in its current form, proposed amendments to the Films and Publication Act would compel television stations to submit all their programmes to the Films and Publication Board for pre-screening, parliament's portfolio committee on home affairs heard yesterday.

Presenting the National Association of Broadcasters submission to the committee, advocate Steven Budlender said certain clauses of the draft bill would make broadcasting impossible.

Clause 16 of the draft Bill would require anyone who intends to distribute programmes, including news bulletins, to first submit these to the board for examination.

He told the committee the Bill's clauses that seem to violate freedom of expression were likely to be declared invalid by the constitutional court. - Sapa