New pay TV exploits legal loophole

GTV, a pay television established by former Multichoice Botswana manager, Billy Sekgororoane is scheduled to go on air in August. Sekgororoane has said they will use a court ruling that favoured Botswana's only pay TV service provider Multichoice to start operations without referring to NBB. The judgment said the NBB had no powers to regulate services similar to those offered by Multichoice Botswana.

"The dilemma faced by the Board (NBB) is easy to see. It has been given duties and responsibilities but not the teeth to implement and enforce. Quite simply the relevant legislation has not kept pace with advances in technology. The only regulating authorisation the Board can issue is a broadcasting license. There is most certainly need to regulate various aspects of the broadcasting industry but this need cannot be met by arbitrarily using the only weapon at the disposal of the Board to fight every conceivable situation, without creating absurd and untenable results," the court ruled.