SECTOR 4 than men working at Radio Botswana, and the broadcaster also employs a visually impaired announcer. “The state has a deliberate policy that where it can accommodate the vulnerable groups, it will.” “There is no attempt to look at the issue of ethnicity, though this needs to be addressed.” Generally, religion, race and ethnicity are not considered during employment. “If private media houses advertise positions and ask ‘marginalised people’ to apply, there will hardly be any decent applicants.” In terms of ethnicity, again the Basarwa are marginalised within media houses, and there are “very few” people from this ethnic group in newsrooms. In rural areas, the state media tends to send journalists from the cities, rather than use locals, in an attempt to reduce biased reporting. “There is no attempt to look at the issue of ethnicity, though this needs to be addressed. The same can be said for the poor, the disabled and women: much of what happens in newsrooms’ employment practices are just by default and not through any deliberate effort.” A positive development is the opening in 2010 of an office for people with disabilities, within the president’s office. Most media houses do not have facilities for people with disabilities. 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: 56 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER BOTSWANA 2011 2.7 (2005 = n/a; 2007 = n/a; 2009 = 2.7)