09 Apr 2017

Permanent secretary for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Kebonye Moepeng says RB2 has continued to grow in terms of quality programming and world class service to its clientele both locally and externally resulting in increased revenue to the government.

Speaking at the RB2’s silver jubilee celebrations recently, Moepeng said the radio station boasted of a nationwide network that reached all corners of the country.

“It was on this day, April 6, on a Monday in 1992 at approximately 6am that Radio Botswana II, RB2 as commonly known, first went on air using a 100-watt transmitter, whose coverage extended only 50 km around the capital city, Gaborone,” she said.

In her welcome remarks, Radio Botswana general manager, Keitirele Matlhape said RB2 was the first commercial radio station in the land, and the first to go country wide, adding that it had produced gurus of the media entertainment industry.

“We can take pride in the fact that we produce the best presenters and best DJ’s in the country, we have had O'Neal going to Big Brother Africa, they are now export products of this station. We have brands like DJ Fresh, brand products of this station and they are outside the country,” she said.

She also said as a station they made renewed assurance that they would take the station forward.

“To you RB2, happy birthday and continue being the station of choice, wishing you many many years of quality programming and radio,” she said.

The station manager, Sakaeyo Jannie said 25 years of radio was a milestone and an occasion to celebrate.

Jannie said it all began with a 16-hour broadcast everyday of the week over a 100-watt transmitter placed on top of Gabane Hill, whose coverage was 50km radius around Gaborone.

“We were then able to reach an estimated audience of a quarter to a million, today we do pride ourselves with the growth we have had in these 25 years in terms of quality and vibrant service,” he said. 

He said it was the responsibility of the station to encourage the development of content that envolved creativity and addressed the need of unserved audiences, especially children. ENDS