Botswana also lacks a freedom of information law, thus limiting government’s transparency. (7) IMPACT OF COVID-19 The Botswana media industry continues to face challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. continent in terms of internet affordability. The previous year, the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) embarked on a deliberate strategy to reduce broadband prices and engaged mobile operators to lower prices of mobile broadband or data bundles. Botswana citizens are now reaping the fruits of that proactive approach with relatively cheap data tariffs. INDEPENDENT CONTENT PRODUCERS Botswana has a very small community of independent content producers, who largely do it as part of their hobbies instead of commercial purposes. Most independent content producers resort to using social media pages as they cannot afford publishing platforms such as news websites. Media houses, especially print, are arguably operating during the worst possible time in the history of the industry. Dwindling sales and plummeting advertising revenue, 10 a decade old advertising ban on the private media imposed by the government have worsened the plight of media houses. During the year under review, some established media houses like The Botswana Gazette had to stop producing their print editions to publish exclusively online due to rising costs and dwindling revenue from street sales and advertising. While producing online is seen as a cost-saving initiative, advertisers in Botswana still prefer the traditional platforms and have been slow in shifting to online, thereby depriving media houses of the much needed revenue. INTERNET ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY A 2021 Alliance for Affordable Internet report, ranked Botswana number two on the Female journalists and co-founders of the online news pla�orm The Argus Online STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA REPORT 2021 33 states that Botswana’s press freedom remains under threat as incidents of harassment and intimidation of journalists have been reported under the current administration.