SECTOR 2

Scores:
Individual scores:
1

Country does not meet indicator

2

Country minimally meets aspects of the indicator.

3

Country meets many aspects of indicator but
progress may be too recent to judge.

4

Country meets most aspects of indicator.

5

Country meets all aspects of the indicator and has
been doing so over time.

Average score: 			

1.0 (2005 = 1.2; 2007 = 1.6)

2.5
Adequate competition legislation / regulation
seeks to prevent media concentration and monopolies.
Analysis:
There is currently no legislation regulating competition in Botswana, for the
economy as a whole or specifically for the media sector. Anti-competition
legislation for private companies was shelved by the Ministry of Trade in 2007.
The government has a number of media outlets in the print and broadcasting
sector, which might be considered monopolistic, while within the private media
arena there is also a concentration of ownership. Since March 2009 Dikgang
Publishing Company has had sole ownership of the Botswana Guardian and
Midweek Sun, two newspapers in which it previously had shares. Dikgang already
owns Mmegi and the Monitor, and has minority shares in the private radio station,
Gabz FM.
In Botswana, cross-ownership (i.e. between print and broadcasting) is allowed as
long as one company does not have majority shareholding in each interest.
This scenario could change with the advent of the Media Practitioners Act, which
makes provision for dealing with competition-related issues, stating under Section
29 that the Media Council must determine if there are anti-competitive acts
within the media sector. If there are, the council shall “refer all issues relating to
competition … to the appropriate authority established to deal with competition
issues”. Such an authority, it appears, has not yet been established.

32

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER BOTSWANA 2009

Select target paragraph3