3.2 Broadcasting is regulated by an independent body adequately protected by law against interference whose board is appointed – in an open way - involving civil society and not dominated by any particular political party. The appointments to the National Broadcasting Board (NBB) were originally conducted in 2001 in a transparent manner. Advertisements calling for applications were placed in the media, and the interviewing panel included both civil society and government representatives. The then Minister of Communications, Science and Technology was responsible for appointing the NBB’s 11 members, which included a representative from the office of the president, an officer from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, an officer from the Department of Cultural and Social Welfare in the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs, a representative from the Botswana Telecommunications Authority (BTA), as well as seven people appointed from a list of 10 candidates nominated by the Nominating Committee. One of the 10 candidates is appointed chairperson of the board by the minister. However, this has become more of a secretive process in the past two years since the Office of the President assumed responsibility for media issues, taking such control away from the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology which was disbanded and subsumed into other ministries, and the media element taken back to the Office of the President “As we speak, we don’t know who is on the board, or even if it has been resuscitated since the members’ term of office expired in 2009.” The general perception of the NBB is that it is a “toothless body”. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator. 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 1.4 (2005 = n/a; 2007 = n/a; 2009 = 1.0) AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER BOTSWANA 2011 41