Media funding without control : Safeguarding editorial independence in publicly funded journalism-Part II :: Mmegi Online

As Botswana considers establishing a Media Development Fund through the Draft Media Bill 2025, a critical question has emerged: can journalism accept public funding without sacrificing its independence? Drawing on international scholarship and experiences from Sweden, Norway, Canada, South Africa and beyond, this analysis argues that public support for journalism is not inherently a threat to media freedom. Rather, the real challenge lies in designing transparent, independent and accountable institutions that shield editorial decision-making from political influence. KABO RAMASIA writes

The future of Botswana’s media may depend not on whether government funds journalism, but on how effectively it protects journalists from those who control the purse strings.

The debate surrounding Botswana’s Draft Media Bill 2025 and its proposed Media Development Fund has reignited one of the most enduring questions in media policy: can the state support journalism financially without compromising editorial independence?

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