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Broadcasting in Botswana Botswana has two private commercial radio stations operating exclusively in Gaborone, Yarona FM (pty) LTD and Your Friend (pty) LTD. Radio Botswana includes the non-commercial Radio Botswana One, which plays no advertising, and the commercial station Radio Botswana Two. Both are broadcasting nationwide. Botswana Television, a non-commercial station that is part of the Department of Information and Broadcasting with Radio Botswana, started broadcasting in July 2000. There is no commercial television station in Botswana and no cable TV (CATV). A pay satellite service, MultiChoice, headquartered in South Africa, broadcasts commercial stations from Botswana’s southern neighbor. Gaborone Broadcasting Corporation is a television re-broadcaster. Parliament passed the Broadcasting Act of 1998 in August 1998. The Broadcasting Act called for the creation of a separate National Broadcasting Board (NBB) reporting to the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration in the Office of the President. The NBB was created on 1 August 2000. The Broadcasting Act was only fully implemented on 29 June 2001 when the last parts of the Broadcasting Act empowering the NBB to award broadcasting licenses were put into effect. BTA was fully responsible for broadcasting regulation until 29 June. Among its other broadcasting activities, BTA licensed Gaborone’s two commercial radio stations in 1999. Although BTA no longer has the power to award broadcast licenses, all licenses previously issued by BTA will remain in effect for their full term. The government established NBB as a separate body after media companies complained to the Office of the president that the BTA Board had no expertise in broadcasting, BTA explained. The BTA Executive Chairman believes that a merger between BTA and NBB will occur in the not too distant future because of the convergence of the regulation of broadcasting, telecommunications and IT. For example, although no operator currently provides CATV, parties interested in obtaining a CATV license have approached BTA. CATV operators could offer Internet access, posing challenges to the current bifurcated regulatory system. IN the meanwhile, now that the NBB has been established and fully empowered, it will award any future broadcasting licenses. BTA holds the view that Radio Botswana and television services should be licensed. In addition as the nation’s only public broadcaster, Radio Botswana’s role needs to be spelled out more clearly relative to the other private broadcaster. Like the BTA, the NBB will enjoy complete discretion in licensing new broadcasters without approval by its oversight ministry. The NBB will also supervise broadcasting activities and allocate spectrum for broadcasting service. BTA has authority over the national spectrum plan (including military use), but the NBB will be responsible for the allocation of the broadcasting portion of the national pan (including any military radio or television stations) as determined by BTA from time to time. However, since the NBB is a part-time board, BTA will serve as the board’s technical advisor and secretariat. BTA will therefore continue to wield significant influence in the licensing of future broadcasters- although the NBB will be free to ignore BTA’s technical advise if it should choose to do so. The NBB will be required to pay BTA for the services it provides. BTA's mandate to type approve equipment is provided in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the Telecommunication Regulations of 1997. Under the Act, BTA's type approval activities are designed to protect the public network. Type approval is required for switching equipment, VSAT and fixed line handsets. Mobile handsets are exempted. The Act does not cover mobile networks. BTA will propose that the Act be amended to cover type approval for mobile networks. BTA also does not require type approval for network equipment used by licensed operators. Because the purpose of BTA's type approval activities is to protect the public network, BTA does not expect operators would risk doing harm to the network. Type
approval fees are levied as a one-time fee and cost an average of
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