28 Feb 2016

State media including Botswana Television (Btv) derives its editorial policy from the purpose for which they were set up by government- publicity and promotion of policies and programmes that benefit Batswana.

This was said by the Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele when answering a parliamentary question without notice at the National Assembly on Friday.

“Whether covering political or other types of events, state media including Botswana Television is guided by the basic principles of journalism and nation-building, that is factuality, accuracy, truthfulness, and being ethical or in good taste relative to matters of public interest.  Like any professional media establishment however state media reserves the right of editorial decision making with respect to what and when to cover, and if or not to broadcast material collected,” Mr Makgalemele said.

He further said that the Ministry of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration does not interfere in editorial decisions.

“The issue of fair and equal coverage between opposition parties and the ruling party is an old debate and a matter of opinion making because fairness in one person’s opinion is not necessarily fairness in another person’s view,” Mr Makgalemele said.

He added that in the specific cases of political events such as rallies, Btv makes every effort to provide equitable coverage relative to resources available and the volume, nature and location of such events for which coverage would have been requested, and relative to other news making events and occasions as well as several other considerations in the news gathering process.

Mr Makgalemele said that it was true that Btv was present at the recent Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) rally in Maruapula, Gaborone, but the material was not used for news as it did not comply with Btv’s editorial policy.

“It is up to Btv management to decide on what to do with any material that is collected in the news gathering process and found it to be inconsistent with state media editorial policy.  The honourable member (Gaborone Central legislator Dr Phenyo Butale) may wish to note that it was not the first time that Btv covered an event that it did not subsequently broadcast; nor was it the last time,” Mr Makgalemele said.

He cited a BDP political rally in Old Naledi on December 6 , 2015 which Btv covered but was never broadcast after Btv management determined it to be inconsistent with their editorial policy. In addition, Mr Makgalemele said, “recently Btv covered a BDP political rally in Palapye and this was not aired.  I believe that this is a clear demonstration of equitable treatment of political material by the station.”

Furthermore, Mr Makgalemele refuted any notions of political bias in Btv news coverage of political party candidate launches.

“I must state in the most unequivocal language that it is not correct that Botswana television coverage is provided to only BDP launches of candidates for election as the question seems to suggest.  In the months of January and February 2016 alone candidate launches and several other political activities were covered for all political parties,” he said.

Mr Makgalemele cited the UDC rally in Kanye on February 7, the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) rally in Machaneng on February 4, the BDP rally in Segwagwa on February 7, the BDP rally in at the Gaborone bus rank on February 19, the UDC/BCP memorandum of agreement on the Sekoma by-election on February 4, as well as another UDC rally in Tlokweng on January 26.

 “Therefore, the suggestion that Btv provides coverage for only BDP candidate launches is inaccurate and not backed by facts on the ground,” Mr Makgalemele said.

“The notion that my ministry somewhat ensuring what is referred to as public interest in Btv coverage and reference to narrow political and personal interests in Btv news coverage is unfortunate as it both suggests that my ministry should interfere with editorial guidelines,” he added.

Gaborone Central MP, Dr Phenyo Butale, had asked the minister to brief parliament on the editorial policy that informs Btv coverage of political events, such as rallies.

He wanted the minister to state how his ministry ensures fair and equal coverage between opposition parties and the ruling party.  Dr Butale also asked what happened to the footage of the UDC rally that the Btv news crew covered recently in Maruapula. ENDS