Mmegi30yrs: Three decades of glowing business reportage

| Tuesday August 26, 2014 13:52

 

Today the business section reflects the mature and modern possessing the depth and skill set to accurately provide high quality reportage on sophisticated financial markets, trade negotiations among the entire plethora of business and economic activities and issues.

When the first issue hit the streets three decades ago, Botswana was in the middle of transforming from a low-income agrarian-based economy to today’s mineral-led economy.

Editorial foresight among the founding editors meant that the Business Desk was one of the distinctly discernible beats in the newspaper, laying ground in terms of talent for future editions.

Of the generally shallow pool of journalistic talent in the country three decades ago, the skill set required for proficient economic and business reportage was even in shorter supply countrywide with Mmegi leading the development of talent.

The development of business reportage skills was critical in order to effectively provide a platform for the communication of various economic issues at a time of economic transformation.

Even from the early years, a Business section was clearly discernible in the newspaper, providing readers with up to date coverage across tourism, agriculture, commerce and national economy.

The Mmegi business section pioneered what is now referred to as “Budget Reporting” where the national budget would receive in-depth, analytical and extensive coverage, with an emphasis on simplifying the figures for Batswana.

With the transformation of Mmegi into a daily in October 2004, the now stand-alone business section was now capable of day by day coverage of events and issues between Tuesday and Thursday, with the Friday paper, known as the Business Week, reserved for analytical pieces, special reports and exclusives.

Over the years, the business section fostered the development of some of the country’s top financial journalists, while in the process attracting new and malleable talent to its pages.

This talent has broken stories such as the establishment of various parastatals such as the Botswana Housing Corporation, the economic boom bust cycles of the 1990s and 2000s, the rise of diamond beneficiation, regional and international trade negotiations and others.

Indicative of the tenacity of the business section, its various journalists over the years pursued the SADC, European Union trade negotiations from 2004 until their finalisation last month with the initialing of an Economic Partnership Agreement.

The business section has also adopted socio-economic campaigns on behalf of its readers, lobbying policymakers on issues such as household indebtedness and minerals beneficiation. As we celebrate 30 years of editorial excellence, we take this opportunity to thank our readers, advertisers, shareholders and sources for the fruitful partnerships and support over the years.