Btv2 to be commissioned next year
Spira Tlhankane | Tuesday November 7, 2017 15:30
Khama said the Department of Broadcasting Services (DBS) is currently implementing Phase 2 of its Digital Migration Project to enable other ministries to disseminate information to the public through Botswana Television (Btv).
He announced that 10 companies have been engaged by Btv to produce local content. “The department will be upgrading television studios to High Definition to enhance its signal quality and programming. Three more offices will be opened in Shakawe, Goodhope and Kang during the coming financial year. Btv Channel 2 is to be commissioned during 2018-2019 as a Sport and Entertainment channel that will include performing arts, fashion design, TV reality shows etc,” he said.
He said international companies have partnered with local ones for implementation of Upgrading of Television Studios, and Data Broadcasting for skills transfer to citizens. “Btv and Radio Botswana have also increased their online footprint, while Government continues to reach out to hundreds of thousands of Batswana and international followers through our expanded social media.
He highlighted that in March 2017 government was ranked as the world’s fifth most active government on a Facebook page based on its total number of independently monitored interactions.
President Khama also said the government continues to promote the diverse cultural heritage of the country through various programmes to develop the arts and crafts to a level where producers are able to earn income from their works.
As the first to establish the President’s Day Competitions in 2008, Khama said the competitions remain a key programme in pursuit of this goal.
“Participation levels in the Competitions have grown from 3,274 in 2008 to 18,971 this year. The number of categories in which artists compete has at the same time increased from 25 to 58 this year. This growth has resulted in the prize money awarded to artists also rising from P1 million to P4.6 million over the same period”. Khama further said that to promote arts and crafts, government has taken the lead in allocating P10 million to procure art and crafts as well as performance services from local artists.
“On September 30, 2017 Botswana celebrated 51 years of independence under the theme: ‘United and Proud’. In this respect I urge Batswana to continue to use their national symbols and colours as an expression of our patriotism, especially every Friday,” he said.