SECTOR 3

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;
2011 = 1.4; 2014 = 2.0)

3.3 The body, which regulates broadcasting services
and licences, does so in the public interest and
ensures fairness and a diversity of views broadly
representing society at large.
Considering how the body is constituted, it exemplifies the notion that BOCRA
board members .’..owe allegiance to the minister and by extension...’ to the
government and the ruling party. ‘Looking at the calibre of the people on the
board...it also confirms that this body is designed to suit a particular interest.’
While it may be difficult to prove, panellists believed the board’s allegiance would
be reflected in their decision-making and hence, the body is thought to regulate
in the interest of the government and not society at large.
Radio Botswana 1 and 2, and Btv, the state broadcasters, are not regulated by
BOCRA.
‘From experience, BOCRA concerns itself a lot more with issues of compliance...
they are just enforcing the regulations.’
‘The people at BOCRA you deal with as a broadcaster are employees, not
the board directly.’ BOCRA employees are predominantly concerned with the
enforcement of the regulations, including issues of licensing and compliance.
Following the homophobic sentiments against the LGBTI community made by US
Pastor Anderson during a live interview on a Gabz FM morning show, BOCRA
pushed the station into installing a radio delay unit. The unit enables the delay
of radio signals by 6 seconds, which was explained by BOCRA as a request made
in the interest of the larger public good by preventing the airing of hate speech.

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AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER BOTSWANA 2018

Select target paragraph3