Part One

What is the mission of your organization?
The Botswana Media Consultative Council (BMCC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, non-government organization dedicated to promoting the democratic development of all forms of media in Botswana. To a great extent the organization operates as a cyber-active advocacy network facilitating communication between the stake holders organized in its various sub-sections: Advertising, Journalism, Broadcasting, Publishing, Public Media, Information and Communication Technologies, Visual Production.

The BMCC also works alongside other partner and allied organizations, including: The Botswana Journalists Association (BOJA/IFJ), the Botswana Advertising and Communications Association, the Press Club, Citizen Owned Businesses in IT (COBIT) and Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower.

How do political agendas in your nation's government and in the dominant media affect censorship of the news?
Since independence in 1966 Botswana has functioned as a liberal multi-party democracy, with rule of law and strict civilian control over the military. Human, and especially political, rights have generally been respected. This includes the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of expression. The private press in recent years has faced little in the way of official impediments to its operations.

On past occasions journalists have been threatened with prosecution under draconian provisions of the National Security Act. But all such cases were ultimately dropped. In the past a few expatriate journalists were also asked leave the country. This has not occurred, however, since the fall of apartheid in South African and Namibia.

Most private newspapers, which only emerged in a sustained way from 1983, have been and remain quite critical in their commentaries. Some papers are perceived in some quarters as being antigovernment, pro-opposition, but all maintain that they are nonpartisan and editorially independent.

The public media, which includes the only national radio and TV service, Radio Botswana and BTV, remains under government control. While it does cover opposition politicians and other critical voices, it remains essentially a mouthpiece for the promotion of government policy. BTV was only launched in August, 2000. Its staff are currently struggling to assert editorial independence.

In 1997 the media was presented with a draft Mass Media Communications bill, which had a number of unacceptably restrictive features. After a significant public outcry the government backed down, and the bill was never presented to Parliament. The BMCC grew out of the resulting coming together of various media stake holders. Subsequent negotiations with government resulted in the establishment of an autonomous National Broadcasting Board and Media Advisory Council, empowered to discuss ways to create a more enabling environment for democratic media development in both the public and private sectors.

The BMCC, along with other advocacy groups, notably the Botswana chapter of MISA, has identified various restrictive laws and regulations, in addition to the National Security Act. Through our representation on the Media Advisory Council and other forums the BMCC has called for their removal and/or amendment. We have pioneered and championed calls for a Freedom of Information Act.

It is also important to note that media freedom in Botswana has also [been] challenged by the political and economic agendas of private sector interests. Such pressure has come in the form of withholding advertising, libel suit harassment, censoring and/or firing of journalists and columnist who upset vested interests and the interference of external donors.

During the 1999 National Elections the BMCC was especially active in organizing all-party debates and other election programs in collaboration with the University of Botswana Department of Public Administration, YaRona FM, Department of Information and Broadcasting and Botswana National Youth Council.

What are the challenges particular to media groups and development NGOs in Africa today?
The challenges across the continent vary. As indicated above, we in Botswana are blessed with a relatively liberal political climate when compared to many neighboring states. All of us, however, share the common challenge of living in the poorest, least economically empowered section of the global village. In a so-called global information age we find it difficult to tell our own story, even within our own societies. Many NGOs live off of Western donor funds. Whether new information and communication technologies will be more of a blessing or burden to dreams of an "African century," etc. remains to be seen.

Are there external factors that affect your project's work (social climate, political environment, cultural practices)?
The above question is not altogether clear. Most BMCC members would probably define such things as social climate, political environment and cultural practices as being internal factors that must and should shape the work of all indigenous media. Globalization is the great external challenge, which creates both opportunities and threats for us (below).

What restrictions and barriers do women face in joining the ranks of professional media workers and/or development officers in your country?
No formal restrictions. Women are playing an increasingly important role in all sections of Botswana's media and indeed society. Two of the four biggest independent newspapers have women as managing editors. More generally U.N. statistics show that Botswana is number one in Africa, and among the highest in the world, in the percentage of its professional workers who are female — 39 percent. Our society is, however, historically patriarchal, and invisible but real barriers do still exist in the way of female advancement. Violence against women has also grown in recent years. Our rape statistics, like those of our neighbor South Africa, are quite high. The BMCC, along with other media stake holders, has organized workshops etc. to address gender issues and the media. We have also supported the development of a local Women in the Media chapter.

Are radical new media standards needed? Why? What are they?
Not quite sure of the meaning of the above. Because we operate by consensus, while representing divergent media interests, the BMCC does not easily relate to the "radical" label as it is perceived within our own society. We have a membership that includes Marxist union organizers and would-be media magnates. While we are nonpartisan, all of the major local political parties, ruling and opposition, have supporters among our membership. Most of our members do, however, share a common concern about the effects of globalization on our country and continent.

One can not easily live in Africa without recognizing the fundamentally skewed and racist nature of the existing world order. Many of our members are concerned about the influence of Western material values through the media. Until 1994 Botswana lived in the shadow of apartheid. This has shaped our national character in modern times as our society provided substantial but relatively silent support to the liberation struggles in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. While our country has enjoyed one of the highest economic growth rates in the world since 1966, largely do to diamond wealth, about 40 percent of our people live below the official poverty datum line. This is true despite government's relatively progressive record of promoting human development, especially with respect to the provision of universal access to health and education. At the moment the spread of HIV/AIDs affects nearly all households in the country. As media workers we have a special responsibility to be aware of such harsh realities.

How has technology in communication and the media contributed to furthering development in your field of work? What technology services/equipment would help you with your work?
As noted above the BMCC already relies on the Internet to communicate among its constituents. Our Web site has, however, been stagnant for some time due to the capacity constraints of relying on voluntary efforts.

All media in Botswana are currently being transformed by the introduction of new information and communications technologies. Convergence between various telecommunications and media is quickening. The BMCC has over the past 18 months championed the cause of independent ISPs against unfair and monopolistic practices of publicly owned Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC).

Who benefits from the services you provide and how?
We are able to bring different media interests together for common advocacy and mutual benefit. In this respect we are proactive in working with and through existing public-private and private-private sector forums in Botswana to promote our agenda — ie. The Vision Council, High Level Consultative Council, National Business Forum, Media Advisory Council and Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower. We played a leading role in establishing the Media Advisory Council and the Education & Information Forum of the Vision Council. Recently we have joined together with others in exploring the possibility of establishing a Media Complaints Commission or Ombudsmen as a self-regulatory mechanism. We are also participating in discussions to establish a Botswana Advertising Research Foundation.

In what ways could the authorities in your country and in the rest of Africa create a more enabling environment for groups like yours?
Our group operates freely in Botswana. Our current national priorities with government are: a) Passage of a Freedom of Information Act; b) the transformation of the Department of Information and Broadcasting from a government department into an autonomous agency or para-statal corporation; c) liberalization of the telecommunications industry; d) repeal of archaic rules and regulations, which have in particular restricted research and local film production; e) reform of libel laws.

While we operate domestically, we in the BMCC recognize and condemn the severe restrictions facing our brothers and sisters elsewhere in the region and on the continent. In the past we have provided direct assistance to groups struggling for freedom of the press in Swaziland. We are also particularly concerned about current assaults on the media and more generally human rights in Zimbabwe.

Do you think that globalization (i.e., the omnipresence of international financial institutions and services, the priority given to global economic strategies over national or regional economies, corporate dominance of media information) is having an impact on your work and the communities you target?
Yes! Our goal is to promote and protect indigenous media in the context of the global information age. Our common position is that Botswana must create an enabling environment to meet the challenges of globalization. Living in a small, developing nation we recognize that globalization poses serious threats and limited opportunities. Our goal is to endeavor to mitigate the former and maximize the latter.

How have you sought to increase the size of your audience or the groups receiving your products and services?
Mostly through direct contacts. With a population of 1.6 million we are a relatively small country. Our media industry can be quite divisive, but we generally know and respect one another. Our external outreach is through the Internet, with MediaChannel perhaps being our biggest international partner. Our chairperson attended the 2000 IPI convention in Boston.

How do you fund your project?
Exclusively through small contributions by local stake holders. Up until now the BMCC has not sought any external donor funding. This may change in the future. A few of our members see external donor interest in local media as a neo-imperialist threat. Of wider concern are examples of the co-optation of donor funds for crony capitalism by certain media interests. Over the past decade USA (i.e. USAID) and European Union donors have increased funding to various media and civil society groups involved in political advocacy and mobilization, while largely eliminating their support for grassroots programs aimed at directly assisting the economically marginalized in Botswana.

Tell us about your staff e.g., who are they? How did staff members come to work at the organization, what experiences have brought people together in support of the organizations mission?
We are all volunteers. No permanent staff. Many of us came together in a series of Media Consultative forums which were convened in 1997-98 to promote smart Affiliateship in the media. Our executive secretary is Mrs. Chibuya Ntsimanyana, who is one of the founders of the organization. She previously served as the first National Director of the Botswana chapter of MISA. Like her many of our other founder members were previously active in MISA, including former MISA chairman Batshani Ndaba, vice-chairmen Mmualefe Raditladi and Jeff Ramsay, information officer Joel Sebonego, fundraiser Mike Klink, and board member Rampholo Molefhe (who is also the Secretary-General of the Botswana Journalists Association) As a result of this influx the BMCC has sometimes been characterized as a breakaway body or faction of MISA-Botswana. We do not see ourselves this way, but rather as an altogether separate organization with different but complementary priorities and structures.

Our current Trustees & Sector Coordinators:

• Dr. Jeff Ramsay (Chairperson), Director and columnist The Voice newspaper, columnist Daily News, member of the National Broadcasting Board and Principal Legae Academy. He previously chaired Private Sector Media Policy Task Force (1997-99).
• Mr. Rampholo Molefhe (Vice Chairperson), Secretary-General of the Botswana Journalists Association (BOJA) affiliated with the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). Managing Director of Penlite News Agency, columnist for Mmegi Monitor and Sunday Tribune newspapers. Media representative on drafting committee of Longterm Vision for Botswana (1997).
• Mr. Billy Masebola (Treasurer), Financial Director of the Cheshire Foundation of Botswana. Treasurer Botswana Council for the Disabled.
• Mrs. Chibuya Ntsimanyana (Executive Secretary), currently involved independent television production and media consulting work. Former National Director MISA-Botswana and Production Assistant of Dipolelo Video Arts.
• Mrs. Antoinette Chigadora (IT coordinator), Senior Programmer for USKO Botswana.
• Mr. David Kepaletswe (Secretary of COBIT, Citizen Owned Businesses in IT), Managing Director of Global Media International.
• Mr. Mike Klinck (Fundraising Sub-Committee/Corporate Communications), Community Outreach & Communications Manager Barclays Bank, Africa. Hon. Chairman Botswana Journalists Association.
• Mr. A.A. Lambe (ISP Association), Managing Director of Mega Internet Services
• Mr. Phil McCowen (Photography), Director PM Associates. Secretary Photography Society.
• Mr. Mosotho Modirwa (Public Media), Department of Information and Broadcasting.
• Mrs. Angela Munkombwe (Training), Media Studies, Mega Vocational College
• Mr. Batshani Ndaba (additional member), Managing Editor Sunday Tribune newspaper. Former Positions include: Managing Editor of Publications Botswana Press Agency, Editor Guardian newspaper, Communications Manager Debswana, Chairperson BMCC, BOJA, Press Club and MISA-Botswana
• Mr. Mmualefe Raditladi (additional member), Director Thanodi Translation Services, columnist Mmegi, The Voice and Sunday Tribune newspapers. Has been involved in journalism in Botswana for five decades.
• Mr. Percy Raditladi (additional member), Station Manager YaRona FM
• Mr. Charles Sebinyane (Advertising), Chairman Botswana Advertising and Communications Association (BACA) and Managing Director CBS Advertising.
• Mr. Joel Sebonego (Public Relations), Editor Tswana Herald newspaper, Vice-Chairperson of Press Club. Correspondent for British Broadcasting Company. Former Editor Guardian and Midweek Sun Newspapers and News Editor GBCTV.
• Mr. Barolong Seboni, Lecturer University of Botswana, contributor to numerous periodicals including columnist for Botswana Guardian newspaper.
• Mr. Zach Sethaiso, Director of Photography, Botswana Press Agency
• Mr. Oshinka Tsiang (Broadcasting), Station Manager BTV

Part Two

What is the size of your organization?
We have 62 institutional and over 100 individual members.

What are your organizational strengths? Weaknesses?
Our strength lies in our inclusiveness. We are weakened by the capacity constraints of working as a voluntary network with little financial support.

What kind of help does your organization need?
At our last AGM in November 2000, it was agreed that the organization should seek capacity support.

Do you have data, models or other resources you might be willing to share with other nonprofit groups?
Yes.

Have you had any successful collaboration with other media groups in your region? What was the collaboration about? If so, how did the collaboration work?
As noted above we generally operate domestically. We did, by invitation, provide resources persons to assist MISA-Swaziland convened forum in 1998. We maintain some contacts with Article 19, IFEX, IPI and IFJ.

What are the main Internet news/media sites that you use on a regular basis?
MediaChannel, IFEX, domestic Botswana sites.

What media issues are at the forefront in your area?
See above.

What do you feel you contribute to your community?
See above.

Do you feel you have an impact on the media made in your area?
Yes. Since our inception we have been the largest and most diverse media advocacy group in the country. See above, under Africa Affiliates.

— Responses by BMCC Secretary-General, Mrs. Chibuya Ntsimanyana, and Chairperson, Dr. Jeff Ramsay.

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