(MISA/IFEX) – Botswana’s government has suspended a segment of Radio Botswana’s popular morning programme “Masa-a-sele” (“Morning has broken”), saying, “it is not accountable.” On 13 November 2003, “Mmegi” newspaper reported that the phone-in segment of the programme would be suspended. As a result, “Masa-a-sele” will become a predominantly “music and announcement” programme, rather than the […]
(MISA/IFEX) – Botswana’s government has suspended a segment of Radio Botswana’s popular morning programme “Masa-a-sele” (“Morning has broken”), saying, “it is not accountable.”
On 13 November 2003, “Mmegi” newspaper reported that the phone-in segment of the programme would be suspended. As a result, “Masa-a-sele” will become a predominantly “music and announcement” programme, rather than the interactive programme it formerly was.
“Mmegi” quoted Communications, Science and Technology Minister Boyce Sebetela as saying that the suspension is indefinite. Sebetela told “Mmegi” on 12 November that the phone-in programme had “lost direction and was out of touch with journalist etiquette.”
“My observation and that of my colleagues, both opposition and ruling party members, is that the phone-in programme has turned into a strip where there is no engagement of concerned parties,” Sebetela said. He added that the government would defeat its objective of an “educated and well-informed society by 2016” if a “one-sided programme” such as the phone-in portion of “Masa-a-sele” were to be allowed to continue in its current format.
“We have concluded that you cannot have an educated and well-informed nation without engaging the people that are being discussed. It is important that those who listen should listen to well-balanced debates. While we may disagree on a lot of things, I want to believe that journalists and other parties will agree with me that the programme in its current form is not fair,” Sebetela said.
The minister dismissed suggestions that the programme has been suspended because opposition parties have used it to attack the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) at a crucial time, with elections approaching.
During the week of 10 November, “Masa-a-sele” opened its phone lines to the public to comment on President Festus Mogae’s State of the Nation address, which was delivered on 10 November. It appears that members of cabinet were displeased with some of the comments that were made and felt that the programme was used to attack the president. The programme’s hosts also put a number of senior government officials on the spot with incisive lines of questioning.
On 13 November, Sebetela confirmed that his ministry is working on a format to remove the bias in the programme. In addition to the phone-in segment, “Masa-a-sele” also covers news, traffic and weather reports.
In an interview with MISA-Botswana, Sebetela admitted to having suspended the programme’s phone-in segment because people have complained to management regarding derogatory statements on the programme and have threatened to sue the radio station.
“For us to resume the phone-in segment, a professional will have to be present during the programme to handle some of these issues,” Sebetela said.
The minister also said that Botswana Television (Btv) would stop covering political parties, including the ruling party, with the exception of special events such as political conferences, due to what he termed “inadequate human capacity at the television station”. He quickly added that this order would not, however, affect coverage of the president and the vice president because “they represent the nation in their positions.”
Sebetela went on to say that Btv will cover the opening of Parliament but will not be allowed to interview political leaders after the parliamentary session.
MISA-Botswana condemned Sebetela actions, referring to them as “editorial interference” in a broadcasting service that is funded by taxpayers’ money and which should, therefore, provide a platform for taxpayers to express their views on issues of national interest. The organisation believes Radio Botswana’s role, as the nation’s only public broadcaster, needs to be clarified.
MISA-Botswana supports a model for public service media that is based on principles that ensure public accountability, independence from partisan manipulation and a level playing field for all political actors. The organisation also believes that public media outlets, including Radio Botswana and Btv, should be restructured as autonomous agencies or parastatals, under the supervision of an independent board.
Regarding the issue of individuals making derogatory statements on radio, MISA-Botswana National Director Modise Maphanyane responded to Sebetela’s statements, saying that employing a “professional” on the programme would not prevent people from making undesirable comments.
MISA-Botswana also took issue with Sebetela’s statement regarding coverage of political parties, indicating that the government would be denying the citizens of Botswana access to critical information that allows them to make informed decisions on their political, economic and social futures.
