BOTSWANA
By Gideon Nkala, Editor, Mmegi Monitor
24 February 2003

The media in Botswana is relatively young and small in size. There are currently less than 10 private newspapers (9) and only one government owned newspaper. Almost all the private newspapers are weekly newspapers save for the government owned newspaper which is the only daily title. Except for one bi-weekly title published in national language (Setswana) all the other newspapers are published in English. Within the last 6 years broadcasting policies have been liberalised and two new regional radio stations have been opened to compete with two nationally transmitting government radio stations. In 2000, Batswana government owned Botswana Television (BTV) was inaugurated.

For a long time the media in Botswana was thought to enjoy unlimited freedom but of late a litigation industry has been opened with defamation law suits being the order of the day. One newspaper in less than a year has parted with over P600 000 (about US$ 100 000) thanks to defamation suits brought before the country's high court. Currently, the government is on the verge of promulgating a bill that would control ownership, registration and professional conduct of journalists. Local journalists are fiercely opposed to this bill and they have instead registered the Press Council of Botswana, which would effectively be a self-regulating mechanism. Through this initiative local journalists believe government would forestall the intention to pass the bill.