Francistown — The recent issuing of three national radio licenses by the National Broadcasting Board (NBB) has been heralded as a milestone in the further liberalisation of the local airwaves.

The NBB last week Friday issued Gabz FM, Yarona FM and Duma FM with national broadcasting licenses, which will enable the three commercial radio stations to reach a wider audience. This is a new development as only two government owned radio stations, RB2 and RB1 have enjoyed the nationwide broadcast monopoly for years.

While many have welcomed the awarding of the three radio licenses as a development that will go a long way not only in the liberalisation of the national airwaves but also in the bolstering of democracy, others feel the three stations have been set up for a financial struggle due to the small advertising pie.

Many have also expressed fears that the newest baby on board; Duma FM might only broadcast views of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) because two of its shareholders belong to the BDP.

But Duma's station's manager, Moreri Gabakgore formerly with Radio Botswana has dismissed as rubbish such views.

The shareholders of the station are businessmen Seyed Abolfazi Jamal, Mehel Jamal and politicians Daniel Kwelagobe and Patrick Masimolole. "We have P5 million as our start up capital," Gabakgore said.

He noted that Duma aims to enter into a cost sharing arrangement with other radio stations to deflect high costs involved in transmission. Gabakgore further said that despite the radio station having two BDP members as shareholders, their primary role would be to deliver quality service to Batswana by bringing the rural and urban areas together through talk radio.

He added that the new station is to broadcast from a complex in Gaborone North beginning in September.

Although the management of Duma FM is already in place, staff recruitment would be done soon.

The new radio station will need about 35 staff members including eight freelancers.

In order to compete with the other two commercial radio stations, Yarona FM and Gabz FM, Duma FM targets the audience of all ages, including children whose voice remains low in the existing radio stations.

Meanwhile, Gabz FM station manager, Kennedy Otsheleng, said the issuing of a license by the NBB to go national shows that they have the potential to do bigger things. Otsheleng said the license comes with challenges, among them technical.

"We have to provide a much wider signal distribution and programming. This means providing entertainment and news content that is relevant to a more diverse national audience versus the current regional audience," he said.

Meanwhile Yarona FM's Dumi Lopang said going national means an opportunity for young people all over the country to enjoy the benefit of broadcasting that primarily seeks to advance their concerns as well as to educate and entertain them.

"We are going to continue addressing issues that affect young people, both political and social issues. We are glad that this new development gives Batswana a wider choice from the traditional RB II and I."

Lopang however is not entirely a happy man. He urged the National Broadcasting Board (NBB) to license the government-owned commercial radio station RB2 so that the station could level the playing field.

NBB Chairman, Dr Masego Mpotokwane explained that negotiations were ongoing to license RB2. He said that it had been difficult to do so because it was unclear whether RB2 was classified as a commercial radio station or a state broadcaster.

The NBB chairperson said the licensing of three private national radio stations heralds a new era in the broadcasting sector in Botswana.

It brought the number of national radio stations to five.

He said the licensing was done in the interest of diversity as espoused by the Broadcasting Act and the Draft Broadcasting Policy still to be approved by Parliament.

"We believe that these licensees will enable Batswana in other parts of the country other than Gaborone to have access to diverse sources of education, information and entertainment," Mpotokwane said.

He said without the free flow of news, information and opinion, citizens would not be adequately informed to meaningfully exercise their democratic rights.

Furthermore, Mpotokwane noted that the broadcasting industry operated within an economic and business environment, adding that the success or failure of the sector depended on the strength of the economy within which it plays.

He said the licensing of the three radio stations would result in competition nationwide, which should lead to more creativity.

Further, he said this should enhance the growth of cultural production in the country, and said the licenses conditions and regulations emphasise local content to promote the local cultures.