allAfrica.com: Botswana: Giving GBC TV a New Look (Page 1 of 2)

As pay television channels flood the market, Botswana's oldest yet not widely accessed, Gaborone Broadcasting Company Television is reposition itself. The buy-in into GBC TV by South Africa's leading private television station, ETV, last year has seen a great number of changes at the station. One was the appointed of Paul Beyl as the station's General Manager. ZEPH KAJEVU pooped in at the station's headquarters in Broadhurst to check what's cooking.

What strategies have you put in place to meet challenges of the technical advances in television broadcasting?

I have to give an account of the journey that GBC-TV as a free-to-air station has walked since its inception in the dying years of the just passed 20th century. From the outset, GBC-TV as a wholly owned citizen company was designed to bring television broadcasting to Batswana at a time when foreign broadcasting stations inundated the airwaves. As a privately-owned company, GBC-TV could not reach out to the entire country because the broadcasting licence limited it to only 50-km. Although the free-to-air channel aired an element of local content in some of the programmes broadcast live on TV, and because there was enormous potential, the best option was for the station to continue operating.

Since the last quarter of 2007, GBC-TV has been undergoing a technical re-engineering and technical re-construction programme that has given it a packaging deal, upgrading its sound transmission and picture quality. The free-to-air channel has taken the quantum leap in preparation for the new look on May 1, 2008. The entire process has also involved the installation of a new transmitter with a clear signal, facility facelift to accommodate other new installations, revamping of the studio graphics and editing. All systems will be ready for the roll out by the launch date (Thursday).

Q. What new programme schedule does the new look GBC-TV have?

The station has broadened its scope to carter for the interests of the entire population starting with young viewers. We have new programmes for kids, housewives and the family. We have programmes ranging from music to sport. In addition we will also be broadcasting five new local content in-house programmes with our current staff complement. At the moment we are consulting with the people so that we can also provide the most popular international sporting activities and disciplines such as football, rugby or boxing. As a sportsman, I love sport because it is closer to my heart. We will also have in stock time slots for HIV/AIDS and health issues as the station grows. GBC-TV will also broadcast live the Miss Botswana pageantry and music awards.

We will eventually hold tourist promotions especially with the 2010 excitement reaching its height. As an engine of growth, tourism promotion will be a natural option blending with the initiatives of government and other stakeholders. We are also planning local shows to be broadcast Sunday nights to tackle some issues such as power conservation in the wake of outages, road safety carte blanche

Q. What else?

The construction of the new facility has been designed to upgrade news coverage to international standards. We will be engaging more staff to ensure that our news broadcasts provide coverage for the entire country. If we go national, we need journalists in Francistown and other news hot spots and we should broadcast the coverage as soon as it has been accomplished. This recruitment and acquisition of news coverage and additional broadcasting equipment, of course, does come with a price tag.

Q. How about marketing?

As part of its growth, GBC-TV will, with the launch, simultaneously embark on an intensive marketing drive on television, radio, newspapers, billboards and other media that the public can access.

Q. What has made GBC-TV embark on this new development path after being in operation over the years?

GBC-TV's current partnership with E-TV, as the holding company, has brought on board a wealth of market tested experience, financial and technical expertise that will assist the company to become the first free-to-air channel success story in Botswana. The fact that E-TV has a stake in GBC-TV means we will be able to be the number one entertainment channel in Botswana and coupled with a strong programme line up the sky is the limit. E-TV has an international viewership whose comments we should benefit from.

Q. What other growth opportunities are in the pipeline?

Part of the expansion programme will involve applying for a new broadcasting licence that will extend transmission coverage beyond the current 50-km radius. As mentioned earlier on part of our upgrading includes expanding our network through the acquisition and installation of a terrestrial transmitter. This involves the purchasing of a huge amount of state-of-the-art broadcasting equipment that will bring transmission standards in line with the highest in the world.

Q. What does the future hold for GBC-TV?

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