Mass Media, Politics and Society in Botswana: The 1990s and Beyond

Abstract

In contemporary African politics, to study the press and broadcasting is to unavoidably and deeply enter the realm of political and social policy analysis. This article examines recent patterns and trends in mediagovernment relations in Botswana, a functioning multiparty, parliamentary democracy of 1.4 million people, with one radio station, a government daily newspaper, and four private weeklies.' Special attention is devoted to the health and political role of the private press, analysis of developments leading to inauguration of a national television service, one of the major media projects contained in National Development Plan VII (1991), revelations of a South African intelligence link with the now defunct Newslink Africa, and finally, the political implications of media coverage of recent government housing and land scandals, which resulted in the resignation of the Vice-President and Minister of Agriculture in 1992. African mass media are on the cutting edge of political democratization movements in Kenya, South Africa, Zambia and Ghana and a crucial ingredient in their long-term success. Given its long-standing democratic political system, the case of the media in Botswana is especially relevant today.2 Although unique in many aspects, Botswana media share a number of important basic characteristics with those of many recently democratizing African states, including: 1) skewed, urban-based centralization of infrastructure, resources, and audiences; 2) emphasis in coverage and content upon words, comings and goings, and images of top national political leaders, particularly the President; 3) heavy and often conflicting demands upon media institutions to serve national development, inform, educate and entertain; 4) general lack of diversity of information and focus between different national media organs; 5) a structure which ensures a top-down communications flow