Botswana: Botswana Television banned from covering political party congress

The state Botswana Television crew was banned to cover part of the opposition Botswana National Front Youth League (BNFYL) congress on 16 May 2010. According to media reports, the BTV crew were met by angry BNFYL members who blocked the hall entrance, making it difficult for the Government media practitioners to do their work.

There are media reports that even the Botswana National Front senior official who was present at the event, Moeti Mohwasa, was unable to convince the youthful supporters of BNFYL to allow the media inside. 

In an interview with MISA-Botswana, the newly elected President of the BNFYL, Kagiso Ntime, said they had invited BTV to cover their event but they had only chosen to come when the crowd had dispersed.

 “We all know that BTV is unfair in their political coverage, our members were very angry and thought the station wants to perpetuate this notion that BNF is dying. We had a very big crowd on Saturday. We had visitors and some solidarity messages. All these had passed. The President of the party had also given a speech. Most of our members had gone back to their respective constituencies. That is why people were angry, explained Ntime.

He nonetheless said, he is hopeful that BTV will repent. “This station is for the nation, for us, for the tax payers, we must be covered, otherwise we will embarrass BTV, he stressed.  He said if the state media does not change they will resort to mass action, and will discredit the media outlet. “But for now we will give them the benefit of doubt and hope that they learn from these.” 

The Director of Information Services, Mogomotsi Kaboyamodimo in response to the accusations levelled against the broadcaster is reported to have said “Any organisation, including political parties, that initiates requests for news coverage from BTV, has to give us adequate notice to their programme so that we evaluate it along with other potential news material.” According to media reports, BTV only received the invitation late on 14 May 2010 in the afternoon.

MISA-Botswana Position

MISA-Botswana is worried when media practitioners are not allowed to do their work and does not encourage any distraction of journalists at work.  On the same token, we are also worried about the use of state media. It is not the first time young political activists have come head-on with the state run media. In 2009, during election time, other young activists from another opposition Botswana Congress Party went to BTV premises to demand coverage. The issue of coverage by state media has been a never ending song. All political parties, including the new Botswana Movement for Democracy, a breakaway party from the ruling BDP have complained about the unfair coverage, with everything tilted towards the ruling party. MISA-Botswana continues to warn that stifling of expression leads to anarchy and as such state media must treat every voice equally. We further discourage the thinking by the Director of Information Services, Mr. Mogomotsi Kaboyamodimo that they must always wait for invitations; a public interest story should attract the media regardless of invitations.

- May 20, 2010 by MISA

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Source: www.misa.org (received via Email Alter on 20.05.2010)