3.1.3 Regional Partnerships MISA, the Southern African Broadcasting Association, SABA and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) Southern Africa Media Project continued their regional partnership. The three have been hosting joint annual workshops since 2002 as part of a regional collaboration on broadcasting reform focusing on issues such as broadcasting legislation, regulation, convergence, regional and continental benchmarks, and public broadcasting. In the 2006 workshop which was held in Mozambique, the three resolved to put more focus on implementation and formed a Task Group on Broadcasting Reform. This is a technical committee which will initiate, coordinate and support campaigns towards broadcasting reform. The MISA, SABA, and FES joint workshops have expanded to include other partners such as the SADC Parliamentary Forum and the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights. 3.1.4. Broadcast Updates The Regional Secretariat continued to issue monthly updates on the broadcasting and ICT sector in the region. Twelve updates were issued in the year under review. For the first time the updates also included alerts issued by MISA on media freedom violations concerning the broadcasting sector. 3.2 NATIONAL ACTIVITIES 3.2.1. Botswana MISA Botswana in conjunction with the FES organized an interactive meeting for members of the parliament in Gaborone on November 28-29 2006. The meeting discussed broadcasting issues including community radio and the broadcasting policy. The MPs heard testimonies from Mr Brian Lingela from MISA Zambia as well as Mr Lumko Mtimde of Media Development & Diversity Agency on the benefits of community radio. A workshop was also held in Selebi Phikwe on March 14 2007 as part of efforts to sensitize the public about the three tier system of broadcasting that is community, private and public. Participants were clear in their opposition to community radio, stating that Botswana is not ready for it. MISA Botswana connected the hard line stance on community radio to the negative and alarmist debates about community broadcasting in Parliament during the debate on the draft Broadcasting Policy. It was clear from the workshop that MISA-Botswana has a mammoth task ahead to explain the benefits of community radio and erase the negative perceptions. During the year under review MISA Botswana in collaboration with the American Embassy also hosted a workshop for local Film Producers on April 19 2006. The aim of the workshop was to interact with the producers and get an understanding of the problems they are facing. During the workshop a community broadcasting association was formed. In June 2006 there was a follow-up workshop where producers shared their grievances of the industry and there was also a discussion of the Cinematograph Act. The Act was found to be oppressive and hindering freedom of expression. The meeting agreed that MISA and producers identify a consultant who will review the act. MISA Botswana continues to be concerned by the delay on the passing of a national broadcasting policy by the government. Although an effort was made in October 2006, by bringing to Parliament a watered down draft from the original plan, the draft policy was withdrawn from debate by the minister responsible. This was due to an outcry from Members of Parliament regarding the provisions for both public service and community broadcasting. A challenge that emerged from the Parliamentary debates is the fear by MPs that community Annual Report 2006 25