2.7 Local or regional independent news agencies gather and distribute information for all media. ANALYSIS: Sila News Agency, an independent agency which was set up in 2005, is still operating and offering news to all publications. A newcomer is Front Page News, which specializes mainly in feature stories. The government-owned Botswana Press Agency (BOPA) has always made its material available to the private media as well. Most private newspapers do not use it, however, because on the whole it is sanitized and not well researched. The Agency is likely to be more independent if and when the general principle of transforming state into public media is accepted by adopting the draft broadcasting policy. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 2.8 3, 2, 3, 1, 3, 4, 3, 2, 2 2.6 (2005 = 1.6) Media diversity is promoted through adequate competition regulation/legislation. ANALYSIS: There is no regulation of competition – either for the economy as a whole or for the media industry. The government’s intention to come up with a competition policy has still not materialized although the Botswana Confederation of Commerce and Industry (BOCCIM) is presently pursuing the matter. The proposed broadcasting policy – now deferred until further notice - deals with the issue of competition in the media sector-specifically and might offer some useful guidelines. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 2.9 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1 1.1 (2005 = 1.2) Government promotes a political and economic environment which allows a diverse media landscape. ANALYSIS: No incentives are being given to private media and media enterprises are even taxed. The playing field between government and private media is not level – not just because the state media rely on tax-payers money and do not have to worry about many operational and commercial challenges which affect the private media. Government also competes with the private sector for advertising in print and broadcasting media. Due to its adoption of cost-recovery initiatives, this competition for ad spend has become even fiercer. The government broadcasting media have the largest reach but charge lower So This Is Democracy? 2007 -158- Media Institute of Southern Africa