Botswana National Broadcasting Board
Encyclopedia
The Botswana
National Broadcasting Board (NBB) was set up by the Broadcasting Act, 1998 (No. 6 of 1999).
The Board consists of eleven members who were appointed in August 2000.
Section 10 of the Act, includes Board functions such as the issuing of broadcasting licences and the control and supervision of broadcasting activities, including the relaying of radio
and television
programmes from places in and out of Botswana to places in and outside Botswana.
the NBB had acted ultra vires its powers in licensing Multichoice
Botswana as a broadcaster.
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
National Broadcasting Board (NBB) was set up by the Broadcasting Act, 1998 (No. 6 of 1999).
The Board consists of eleven members who were appointed in August 2000.
Section 10 of the Act, includes Board functions such as the issuing of broadcasting licences and the control and supervision of broadcasting activities, including the relaying of radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
programmes from places in and out of Botswana to places in and outside Botswana.
Roles (Summary)
- Act as general advisor to National Broadcasting Board (NBB)
- Act as a support link between Botswana Telecommunications Authority (BTA)Botswana Telecommunications AuthorityThe Botswana Telecommunications Authority is part of Botswana's Ministry of Transport and Communications. The Minister appoints all five board members, who serve on a part-time basis. The BTA is mandated to promote the development and provision of efficient telecommunications and broadcasting...
and NBB - Recommend code of conduct
- Monitor global broadcast developments
- Broadcast representation nationally, regionally and internationally
Licensing
The NBB issues licences on the following types of broadcasting services in Botswana.- Public broadcasting
- Private broadcasting and
- Community broadcasting
Highlights and Controversies
- 2007: National Broadcasting Board v MultichoiceMultiChoiceMultiChoice is a South African company which operates the DStv satellite television service, the main satellite TV service in Sub-Saharan Africa. It was formed out of the subscriber-management branch of the M-Net terrestrial pay TV company, and broadcasts the full range of M-Net channels on the...
Botswana. The Board issued a broadcasting licence to Multichoice in 2005, and subsequently, in 2007, made an order setting aside the decision to issue the licence. The Court of Appeal decided that
the NBB had acted ultra vires its powers in licensing Multichoice
MultiChoice
MultiChoice is a South African company which operates the DStv satellite television service, the main satellite TV service in Sub-Saharan Africa. It was formed out of the subscriber-management branch of the M-Net terrestrial pay TV company, and broadcasts the full range of M-Net channels on the...
Botswana as a broadcaster.
- 2008 - Digital Migration Strategy: The NBB highlighted the need for the development of the digital migration strategy to the Minister at a meeting in December 2007. The BTABotswana Telecommunications AuthorityThe Botswana Telecommunications Authority is part of Botswana's Ministry of Transport and Communications. The Minister appoints all five board members, who serve on a part-time basis. The BTA is mandated to promote the development and provision of efficient telecommunications and broadcasting...
is expected to play a significant role in this task