Saturday, November 2, 2024

Government leaves NBB tenure to expire

The competing interests between the Office of the President and the Ministry of Transport and Communications has paralysed the operations of the National Broadcasting Board.

The previous board’s term of office expired July last year and a new one has still to be appointed.
The confusion as to who is the appointing authority arose after the government media fell under OP while the previous ministry that was responsible was given a new name.

“The ministry responsible for the National Broadcasting Board is Transport and Communications who would be in a better position to explain any delay [in the appointment of the board],” said the government spokesman Dr. Jeff Ramsay this week.

The Minister of Transport and Communications, Frank Ramsden, had a different story to tell.

“In a way both my ministry and that of the Office of the President are in charge,” said Ramsden.
The minister said the government was working out on modalities to have one authority from whom the board will operate under.

Sources have said that no board has been appointed yet. But the minister said to his best of knowledge, the old board still holds the reigns.

In 2009 the old Board ound Btv and Radio Botswana guilty of breaching the elections code of conduct by broadcasting a party statement before the election period.

That embarrassment did not go down well with Government.

After the elections, the government media was transferred to OP.

The NBB was set up by an Act of Parliament, the Broadcasting Act of 1998. Under the Act, the Board falls under the Ministry of State President.

Before the establishment of NBB, the Botswana Telecommunications Authority (BTA) was regulating and monitoring the broadcasting sector in Botswana. In 1999, the BTA licensed two commercial radio stations: Ya Rona FM in May and Gabz FM in September respectively. Another, private station, DUMA FM was licensed much later.

The Botswana Telecommunications Authority (BTA) has since been serving as the Secretariat to the Board and advises the NBB on technical matters.

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