[Issa Sikiti da Silva] Free-to-air TV station e.tv this year joined forces with Edcon Group to take the seven-year-old Jet Community Awards to another level - to create awareness around community projects participation and give exposure to those who are working hard under difficult conditions to improve the lives of ‘forgotten' people living in socially-disadvantaged areas of Southern Africa. 5 Nov 2009 08:20
Botswana publishers, on 6 May 2009, registered a statutory notice with the attorney general and the Ministry of Communications Science and Technology, challenging the Media Practitioners Act of 2008. 12 May 2009 11:11
[Simbarashe Nembaware] GABORONE: The Media Practitioners Act (MPA) and the Intelligence and Security Act (ISA) recently enacted by the state “as a way of bringing accountability to the media” and safe guarding sovereignty have been described by journalists here as draconian legislatures that trample on democracy by muzzling the media and usurping basic civil rights. 21 Apr 2009 10:55
GABORONE: News media publishers in Botswana gathered on 10 March, 2009 and resolved not to respond to the current invitations from the government regarding the formation of the Interim Committee of the Media Council as dictated by the newly enacted Media Practitioners Act. 12 Mar 2009 10:42
[Sello Motseta] GABORONE: There is growing dissent in the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) over laws that enable the government to regulate the media. Member of parliament, Keletso Rakhudu, broke ranks with his party by publicly criticising the Media Practitioner's Act as an "assault" on the "fundamentals" and "undermining" free and independent media. He claims a number of his colleagues shared his dismay but were fearful of speaking out. 3 Mar 2009 11:49
The Government of Botswana has passed the controversial Media Practitioners Law, which was assented to by the executive on 22 December, 2008 and gazetted on 31 December. This follows a rushed enactment by Parliament in the same month, in which members of parliament were denied the opportunity to further subject the bill to debate. 19 Jan 2009 10:07
Botswana Member of Parliament for Mogoditshane, Patrick Masimolole has called upon the Minister of Communications, Science and Technology to drop the Media Practitioners Bill arguing that the proposed law grants too much power to the ministry in interfering with the operations of the media. 22 Aug 2008 09:29
On 27 June 2008, the government of Botswana gazetted a media practitioners' bill which is expected to regulate the media by, among other things, setting up a statutory press council. The bill also seeks to register media practitioners residing in Botswana and provides for hefty penalties for any violation of the law. As an example, anyone contravening the regulations stipulated in the bill would be liable for a penalty of 5,000 Botswana pulas (approximately US$750) or three months in prison. 8 Jul 2008 14:51
Finalists in the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2008 Competition were announced yesterday, Thursday, 15 May 2008, by Azubuike Ishiekwene, chair of the independent judging panel. This year the competition, now in its 13th year, received a record 1912 entries from 44 countries throughout the African continent, including French- and Portuguese-speaking Africa. 15 May 2008 16:04
A critical mass of countries are signing on to a plan for India to invest $1 billion in the Pan-African e-Network satellite project, a joint initiative with the Africa Union aimed at developing the region's information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure. 30 Nov 2007 12:04
Pan-African music entertainment network MTV Networks Africa and oil marketer Shell have partnered to boost Africa's contemporary music industry. 22 Nov 2007 14:43
“This is a great opportunity to promote responsive journalism and democracy in Kenya,” says Munene Kilongi. He is standing in a street in Nairobi while he is sending his report on the elections in Kenya from his mobile phone. 22 Nov 2007 06:56
Ayanda Media Technologies (AMT), a company within the Questek group, specialising in broadcast and media technologies, has been awarded a multi-million rand tender to upgrade the facilities at Botswana Television (BTV). 11 Oct 2007 05:56