The Department of Broadcasting Services (DBS) serves as the principal government body overseeing state-run broadcast media in Botswana. It operates Radio Botswana (RB), Radio Botswana 2, and Botswana Television (BTV), with a remit to inform, educate, and entertain the public. These media platforms are also charged with disseminating information about government programmes and national development.
Media assets
Television: BTV1, BTV2, BTV News
Radio: Radio Botswana, Radio Botswana 2
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
DBS operates under the auspices of the Ministry for State President, previously known as the Ministry for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration. All key appointments within the department are made by the government in accordance with the Public Service Act. Although proposals were once floated to establish an independent board for BTV, these reforms have never materialized. As public servants, staff at DBS have been subject to reassignment across government departments, reinforcing the ministry’s direct control over broadcasting operations.
In Parliament, Minister Dr. Phenyo Butale confirmed in April 2025 ongoing efforts to reform the state broadcaster into a publicly governed entity. This includes: drafting a cabinet memorandum and preparing requests for tender to recruit a consultant to spearhead the transformation.
President Duma Boko, who took office in November 2024, has been openly critical of BTV’s news credibility, adding to pressure for reform across state media channel.
Source of funding and budget
DBS is primarily financed by the state. According to the most recently disclosed figures, the department received a government allocation of BWP 236.7 million (approximately US$19.9 million) for the fiscal year ending March 2020—an increase from BWP 153.3 million (US$16.7 million) in 2018. This state subsidy has historically covered more than three-quarters of the department’s operational budget. Although both BTV and Radio Botswana do accept commercial advertising, such revenues contribute only marginally to the overall financial picture.
As of June 2025, no new budget figures have been made publicly available, and no significant reforms have been introduced to improve financial transparency or diversify income sources.
Editorial independence
The Department publicly claims to deliver content that is “objective, balanced, credible, and professionally tailored.” However, these assurances are contradicted by multiple independent assessments which reveal a pronounced pro-government bias. The department’s editorial policies are explicitly aligned with state priorities, and its media outlets are widely regarded as mouthpieces for the ruling establishment.
Botswana lacks a legal framework that enshrines the editorial independence of DBS. Moreover, the department is not subject to oversight by the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA), which licenses and regulates private broadcasters.
There is no independent watchdog tasked with scrutinizing the editorial practices of DBS. Occasionally, criticism surfaces from the Office of the Ombudsman. For instance, in a 2018 report, the Ombudsman highlighted that 82% of BTV’s political coverage was devoted to the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), with only 18% distributed among all opposition parties—a clear indicator, in the Ombudsman’s assessment, of biased reporting.
In recent years, however, there have been signs of improvement. Between 6 February and 6 March, BTV aired 10 interviews: six featuring civil society, two for the ruling party, and two representing opposition voices, a balance signaling a promising shift towards editorial impartiality and diversified media governance.
June 2025