For nearly six decades, the press has been an indispensable part of our national story, chronicling our progress while exposing our shortcomings. But today, questions loom large about whether the media still carries the same democratic weight it once did. From the earliest days of independence, newspapers such as Mmegi, The Botswana Guardian, and The Voice, along with radio broadcasters, took on the dual task of informing a young democracy and holding leaders accountable. They reported on the building of schools, hospitals, and infrastructure, but also gave space to questions about corruption, inequality, and governance. Through their work, they helped entrench a culture where power could be scrutinised, not simply obeyed. Yet, at 59 years, Botswana’s media is under pressure like never before. The challenges are as much economic as they are political. In a small advertising market, many outlets rely heavily on government advertising to stay afloat. This business model has, however, come under severe strain over the years with pandemics like COVID-19, economic downturns, and more and more audiences shifting to digital platforms.
This has resulted in more revenue moving online, over and above the fact that for a small economy like Botswana, having to compete for a small pie from government advertising with many media houses facing existential threats was always going to be a great challenge. Plus, this heavy financial dependence on government advertising risks compromising editorial independence as some have always argued. This is because they think stories that might offend advertisers are softened or buried. The situation is worsened by the dominance of state-owned media, which too often functions as a government mouthpiece rather than a true public service broadcaster. The national conversation, as a result, is skewed. With the evolution of the Botswana media landscape in the past years, at the same time, the digital revolution has brought both opportunities and threats. Social media platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) have given citizens new avenues to share information and challenge authority. Citizen journalism has brought issues to light faster than traditional outlets. But these platforms have also amplified misinformation, sensationalism, and toxic discourse. In this crowded information space, the professional press should provide credibility, context, and balance. Too often, however, it has been caught competing for clicks rather than digging for truth. Consequently, the press has endured what may essentially amount to unfair criticism amid these threats as posed by the era of information disorders.
