Btv Digital Migration Has No Economic Agenda

Monitor Editor | Monday September 12, 2016 11:35

Btv is yet to involve the independent media on their digital migration project, at least to help us appreciate certain aspects of the gadgets, technology and other pertinent issues around the digital migration agenda.

While digital migration is no doubt a welcome development, questions remain whether Botswana has really succeeded or this project has become another failure like others before it.

Questions on this topic are hard to find answers in an environment where the implementers are avoiding to be accountable to the nation by taking and responding to probing questions from the media.

By now we feel Batswana should know where they s fit in the agenda. Digital migration is not just about decoders being pushed into the market.

The economic opportunities that the nation can derive from the digital migration ought to be shared openly with the nation, particularly the hot issue of job creation through digital migration opportunities.

By this we are not simply talking about government hiring people, but rather investment opportunities that can be taken advantage of by our hungry youth to create employment for themselves and others, and contribute in eJconomic growth.

It should be the role of Btv and partners to share with Batswana the opportunities available in digital migration, be it in the distribution of the decoders across the country, installation services, and most importantly the opportunities offered by the technology to those aspiring to venture into tv channels that could be developed on the Btv platform to increase its channel offering while providing investors with the opportunities to profit from the platform, either through Btv buying the channels or just hosting those channels free of charge while investors make profits  through advertising.

Such opportunities, if well shared with Batswana, young and old, could help the country in a big way.