African Media Barometer Botswana

Botswana, once marvelled as being a model of democracy in Africa, is currently being contested when one looks at a careful assessment and analysis of its media landscape. Government surveillance has greatly influenced debility in the media environment both online and offline for journalists, with the private sector being most affected. The decline of professional standards by journalists due to poor working conditions, weak self-regulatory measures by the media themselves and questionable statutory regulations by the state have signalled continued poor media-state relations.

Serious intervention is needed by the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) as the licensing and regulatory media body to ensure restored good media practices or a self-regulatory mechanism should be introduced. The need for consolidated advocacy and lobbying efforts from both the media and civil society groups in pursuit of a democratic media environment cannot be overemphasised in Botswana at present.