On a positive note, in 2008 private radio stations Duma FM, GabzFM and YaronaFM were
awarded licences for national coverage by the National Broadcasting Board. Be-mobile, a
mobile subsidiary of Botswana Telecommunications Corporation, was also granted a licence.
At the end of 2008, the following newspapers and magazines were in operation:
Newspaper

Publisher

Circulation

Distribution

Frequency

Botswana
Gazette

News Company
Botswana (PTY) Ltd

23,000

National

Once a week

Botswana
Guardian

CBET

19,000

National

Once a week

Daily News

Department
of Information
Services, Ministry
of Communications,
Science and
Technology

65,000

National

Daily

Echo

Echo Property Limited 15,000

National

Once a week

Economic
Express

Brainpower
Enterprises

8,000

National

Independent
Informer

Isa Consulting (PTY)
Ltd

5,000

National

Midweek Sun CBET

National

Once a week

The Mirror

The Mirror (PTY) Ltd

15,000

National

Once a week

Mmegi

Dikgang Publishing
Company

Friday 22,4000
Tue-Thur 11,000

National

Daily

Monitor

Dikgang Publishing
Company

16,000

National

Once a week

Ngami Times Printing
Ngami Times & Publishing Co.
10,000
(PTY) Ltd

National

Once a week

Sunday
Standard

Tsodilo Services
(PTY) Ltd

17,000

National

Once a week

Sunday
Tribune

Bukinemo
Enterprising

8,000

National

Once a week

Tswana
Times

Tsolohi
Communications

5,000

National

Fortnightly

The Voice

The Francistowner

29,400

National

Once a week

Although Botswana media continues to grow, some observers are of the opinion that media
diversity in the country is highly compromised. In his analysis of the local media landscape,
So This Is Democracy? 2008

-18-

Media Institute of Southern Africa

Select target paragraph3