10 Apr 2022

Government commercial radio station, RB2 has been applauded for promoting and growing the local creative industry.

In his remarks to celebrate the station’s 30th anniversary, Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Dumezweni Mthimkhulu said government was proud of the station, which he said played a pivotal role in nation-building through music.

“RB2 has been instrumental in the development of the music industry through COSBOTS, who recently announced a new proposition of content being 80 per cent local and 20 per cent international,” he said.

The assistant minister implored the RB2 family to explore the latest forms of technology to reach listeners and clients as well as to utilise different marketing tools to attract more business and increase revenue.

He further applauded the station for embracing social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, adding that with a combined over 100 000 followers on these platforms, the station had been able to reach national and international audience.

He said the theme: Driving the Future and #ThePlatform demonstrated the station’s drive of doing well and making  infrastructure accessible to the entire creative industry to support and grow the industry.

Deputy director - Media and Content from Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) Masego Jeremiah credited the station for contributing to the country’s broadcasting sector and even to the international stage in broadcasting.

She said as the first commercial radio station in Botswana, RB2 became a training ground for local talent, producing dedicated hard workers who are loyal to the craft.

The station produced industry giants such as Esther Kanaimba-Senai, who later became a national broadcasting regulator, Djs Fresh and O’Neal, who are now delivering on an international stage as well as the likes of Dignash, Owen Rampha, Dj Sid, One Rabantheng and Gaona Dintwe, who are all doing well in other parts of the sector.

She said the celebrations came at a time of the release of the performance of content airplay between January and March by the Copy Right Society of Botswana.

“I believe that the implementation of that plan will completely change the landscape of the entertainment industry and local content production specifically,” she said.

Ms Jeremiah also implored the RB2 station to adapt to new technological environment as the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) takes the stage.

She said the station had created a footprint in the region, therefore should position itself to benefit from the 4th Industrial Revolution, and not allow shortcomings of technological advancement to disrupt their way of doing business in the broadcasting sector. ENDS