01 Dec 2019

The newly launched NOW TV online streaming is expected to provide an opportunity to reach a wider range of audience.

Speaking at the NOW TV online streaming launch recently, Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Tumiso Rakgare said such development was a move with new trends and best practices in the television industry.

The online streaming, he said would also promote and showcase local talent and grow the film and television industry in Botswana thus exposing emerging local actors and producers.

As such, he said the ministry would be able to grow the channel into a regional and global television brand.

“Through our partnership with Botswana Fibre Network (BoFiNet), NOW TV channel would stream on 34 Botswana hotspots around the country in Gaborone, Mahalapye, Palapye, Serowe, Francistown, Kasane and Maun and all the ministry youth centres.

Access to this platform at hotspots will be for free, while viewers can use normal internet access in other areas”, he said.

Thus, the minister encouraged local content producers to promote their programmes in order to build a wide viewer base.

BoFiNet chief executive officer, Mabua Mabua said having a public internet TV channel available in worldwide Internet space was one of the most great milestones and new chapter in Botswana.

He said Now TV would be streamed live and with video on demand content to allow customers to watch anytime and anywhere as long there was Internet.

“As a country we are moving and enabling the creative industry into the digital era.

We see potential to do more and as a result facilitate a digital economy and a knowledge economy also empower the youth of Botswana to showcase their crafts to a larger audience in Botswana and to the rest of the world,” he said. Further, he said BoFiNet was deploying more hotspots in Kanye, Lobatse, Molepolole, Tsabong, Mochudi, Moshupa, Jwaneng, Selebi Phikwe and Ghanzi and the project would be completed in March next year. ENDS