control of the minister responsible for the media -– the Minister of Communications, Science and Technology. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 2.7 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 1.2 Independent news agencies gather and distribute information for all media. ANALYSIS: The government-owned Botswana Press Agency (BOPA) was supposed to gather and distribute information to all media but has failed as it continues to compete with private newspapers. There is a new independent agency which offers news to all publications. It is called Silas News Agency and is owned by Stan Mulenga. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 2.8 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 2, 1, 2 1.6 Media diversity is promoted through adequate competition regulation/ legislation. ANALYSIS: There is no regulation or competition board at present. The government intends to come up with a competition policy but debate over this issue is not transparent enough. The draft is considered confidential at the moment but expected to be widely distributed eventually. It deals with competition generally rather than being sector-specific. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 2.9 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1 1.2 Government promotes a political and economic environment which allows a diverse media landscape. ANALYSIS: Government competes with the private sector for advertising in print and broadcasting media and does not think the views of its political opponents are important. No incentives are being given to private media and media are even taxed. More promotion might occur in the ICT sector, where government has taken a lot of interest. P15 million was provided to bail out the construction industry but the media has never been considered for government assistance of any type. So This Is Democracy? 2005 -196- Media Institute of Southern Africa