Danger sign as Khama takes control of the media

The departments of Information Services (Daily News and Kutlwano) and Broadcasting Services (Btv, Radio Botswana 1 and 2 - RB1 and RB2) are said to have been restructured such that they are directly under the most powerful office in the land. This might not make big news in many circles but it should awake every concerned Motswana to the new era we are moving into.

Yesterday we ran an editorial congratulating RB1 for a job well done in its coverage of the recent general elections. We remain convinced that RB1 did well and deserves the credit. However, we have always expressed our concern at the increasing influence the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has over the editorial content of government media. The recent spat between the National Broadcasting Board and the Department of Broadcasting Services regarding the inequitable coverage given to BDP was the climax of this ominous trend.