SECTOR 2 2.10 Government does not use its power over the placement of advertisements as a means to interfere with editorial content. Analysis: “… as long as the government is the player, the referee and the linesman in our economy, no one can do anything.” The government’s attempt to ban advertising in 2001 in two private newspapers deemed to be critical of the government indicates that the state uses its power over the placement of advertisements as a means to interfere with editorial content (see indicator 1.1). At the time of this panel discussion there were rumours that government was threatening to place a similar ban on Mmegi and the Sunday Standard, as a result of their reporting on the Kalafatis case (see indicator 1.2). There is a sense that the government does this more subtly and the private media knows that if it criticises government it will lose out on advertising. This is not always advertising directly from the government: In 2001, the government sent letters to private companies, telling them that if they continued to advertise in the Botswana Guardian or the Midweek Sun they will be excluded from doing business with the state. “The government controls about 80 per cent of the economy. Many businesses depend solely on government for survival. All businesses, not just those in the media, have to toe the line if they want to survive … as long as the government is the player, the referee and the linesman in our economy, no one can do anything.” There is a definite bias in terms of government ‘ad spends’: most of the government’s print advertising budget goes to its own newspaper, the Daily Mail. Government argues that this is one way to make the publication sustainable. 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: 38 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER BOTSWANA 2009 1.1 (2005 = 1.3; 2007 = 2.4)