18 Feb 2019

Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) has launched three commercial radio stations; Duma FM 99.4 MHz, Gabz FM 102.9 MHz and Yarona FM 92.9 MHz in Hukuntsi.

Speaking during the World Radio day commemoration in Hukuntsi recently, BOCRA board of directors chairperson, Major General Bakwena Oitsile, said the coverage of the radio stations was not limited to Hukuntsi only.

“It will extend to villages within the 50km radius of Hukuntsi including Lehututu, Lokgwabe and Tshane,” he said, adding that government had made significant strides towards expanding broadcasting network as radio coverage stands at 90 per cent while television coverage is at 80 per cent countrywide.

In 2018, he said Cabinet took a decision that all government broadcast transmission infrastructures be shared with commercial broadcasters to ensure wider coverage of broadcasting services by commercial broadcasters.

Major General Oitsile also pointed out that radio had the power to educate and inform people on everyday life issues as it reached larger audience where new technologies could not reach, and does not require electricity connections or even mobile signal.

“Despite radio operating in a world filled with new communication technologies, it will remain the most used mass communication medium in the world, as it is the only medium that is most accessible and convenient for public discourse,” he said.

Therefore, he said, it was befitting that the world radio day commemoration was celebrated annually to embrace the contribution made by the radio in people’s lives.

Despite radio operating in the world filled with new technologies that offered ‘convenience, speed and efficiency’, he said it could not be denied that, radio was one technology that had stood the test of time.

“Often people change mobile phones handsets because the devices becomes irrelevant over time, but in comparison to the radio, it does not change, even when one uses a 30-year-old radio set, it would tune in and receive the available services without any difficulties,” he said.

Furthermore, he said radio broadcasting had made it possible for broadcasters to reach larger audiences including low income communities, vulnerable groups and the uneducated thus promoting nation building as well as promoting diversity, tolerance and acceptance.

Furthermore, Major General Oitsile said a lot of young generation subscribed to social media and it had the tendency of attracting only people with similar believes and values.

On the contrary, he said radio brought people together of different believes and ideologies and that, it would continue to remain as it had adapted to the modern demands making it easier for people from all walks of life to interact and promote active participation on issues affecting humankind.

On other issues, he said in 2014, BOCRA established a Universal Access and Service Fund (UASF) the fund, which he said aimed to promote uniform level of services to all users of communication services to unserved and underserved areas.

He said the fund had made notable progress as it had funded the primary school computerisation project in the whole of Kgalagadi District, Ghanzi District and Mabutsane Sub-district.

In addition, Major General Oitsile said through the UASF fund and in partnership with Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet), Department of Broadcasting Services, Commercial Broadcasters and Plastique (Pty) Ltd had made contributions to sponsor the roll out on new transmitters for commercial radio stations in Hukuntsi and Sojwe.

“This contribution demonstrates commitment to infrastructure sharing as a model for reducing costs of services provision and facilitating service delivery” he said.

When giving the overview of the event, BOCRA chief executive officer, Martin Mokgware said radio day allowed broadcasting stakeholders worldwide to take time and reflect on the contributions made by radio as a medium of communication in the lives of humanity.

“In the past, radio day commemoration was a low key due to their ‘disjointed efforts’ as broadcasting stakeholders,” he said.

However, Mokgware said they joined hands with other last year to put a remarkable commemoration in Gaborone adding that this year, they decided to do it outside the city.

So far, he said they were proud of the country’s achievement in radio broadcasting, from the days of lone voice of Radio Botswana as there were now more stations in the likes of RB2, Duma FM, Gabz FM and Yarona FM in the local broadcasting market.

Therefore, he said BOCRA was mandated to licenses more radio stations and increase coverage to promote diversity.

He said they were currently overwhelmed with requests of new radio stations but regretted that they were constrained by lack of frequencies since Botswana was reserved only six frequencies.

“The available frequencies cannot meet the current demand but we are working round the clock to advance the situation,” he said.

In his welcome remarks, Kgosi Merapelo Tshweneyage of Hukuntsi lauded government for working tirelessly to bring services closer to economically disadvantaged societies.

He said radio played an important role in disseminating vital information on different issues and that would assist people to make informed decisions regarding their life situations.

The commemoration was under the theme: Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace. ENDs