Botswana
Botswana's first ever state-owned television goes on air

afrol.com, 2 August - After several misses, on July 31 Botswana's first ever state-owned television went on air amidst pomp and pageantry in Gaborone, reports the PANA news agency. 

The station started its inaugural broadcast with a news bulletin in Setswana, followed by a short studio interview with the acting minister for presidential affairs and public administration, Tebelelo Seretse, and a live charity run involving two top teams. It closed down after the reading of the English news at 10 PM.

PANA reports that crippling troubles that saw it fail to meet its deadlines had bedevilled Botswana Television for several months, amidst revelations of professional and administrative incompetence and negligence. The government finally brought in a team of experts from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) after an internal inquiry unearthed gross misdeeds. The BBC consultants were able to complete the job allowing for the inaugural broadcast, although the construction and installation of other telecommunication and technical facilities are yet to be completed. 

Previously, Botswana depended on the South African Broadcasting Corporation and satellite TV for television feed. These were later augmented by the privately run Gaborone Broadcasting Corporation Television, which has a limited reach and is the only other local television station. 

Source: Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)

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