SECTOR 1 Back in the early 2000s, media organisations played an active role in shaping the media landscape towards a more democratic system. MISA at that time, promoted ‘a general atmosphere of active citizenship and accountability.’ During this time government, albeit reluctantly, acknowledged that MISA was a partner that one could work with. Vigorous campaigning for political and social change was followed by a decline in activism under the Khama administration, and the previous momentum has since not been restored. 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: ✓✓ ✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓✓✓ ✓✓ 2.4 (2005 = 2.4; 2007 = 2.8; 2009 = 2.2; 2011 = 4.1; 2014 = 2.3) 1.11 Media legislation evolves from meaningful consultations among state institutions, citizens and interest groups. Media legislation has been publicised in several media outlets, but stakeholders were ‘hardly ever consulted’ during legislation. Government would hold kgotla (public community) meetings with known disadvantaged groups such as elderly people to provide the necessary knowledge and information, so that they may provide constructive input to the legislative process. The government would then claim that there have been consultations. ‘In this country, there are no meaningful avenues to interrogate laws or legislative processes: laws will “pass silently.”’ Admittedly, the media fraternity rarely includes other stakeholders in the drafting process of laws initiated by them. At one point, however, MISA, the Press Council and other stakeholders crafted ‘a model information bill with the help of some parliamentarians.’ During this process, efforts were made to ‘include stakeholders and civic groups’ in drafting a bill for an access to information law. When the draft bill was tabled in Parliament as a Private Member’s Bill, the process was stopped. The feedback received was that it is only the Attorney General’s Office which was mandated to craft laws. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER BOTSWANA 2018 21