About the Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Services

BACKGROUND

An English Engineer working for the post office by the name of Mr. Ansell had a small transmitter in his house that he used to broadcast to the Mbabane town area and its surroundings at certain periods. Capitalising on this concept, a British expatriate working in the Civil Service, Mr. Ian Aers, advised Government to expand on this concept and establish fully-fledged national broadcasting station.

The advice was accepted by Government on the 19th April, 1966, transmission started on the first state owned national broadcasting service in Swaziland under the directorship of Mr. Ian Aers. The objective of the station at this point was to inform the public about government operations, what it was doing as well as what it intended to do.

Government broadcasting started with a medium wave (MW) transmitter at around 1970/71, the broadcasting service was merged with the information services. The Information Department was responsible for news writing and printing of all government publications, gazettes and tourism brochures. After the merge both services moved to the current Broadcasting and Information Services building.

Between the late 1960s and mid-to-late 1970s, the department added a print media publication unit. This unit published newsletters entitled Swaziland Today and Umbiki. Due to depleting financial support to the print publications unit, the quality of its operations went down. In the late 1980s, the printing stopped altogether.

PORTFOLIO ALLOCATION

Legal Notice Number 194 of 1996 put this department under the Ministry of Public Service and Information (MOPSI). Before this notice, the department was under the Ministry of Broadcasting, Information and Tourism as per Legal Notice Number 162 of 1991. Under the current legal notice the portfolio responsibilities of the department include the following: -

(1) Radio Television Broadcasting Service

(2) Newspapers, Magazines and other Printed Publications.

(3) Government Information Service.

(4) Accreditation of Foreign News Reporters and Correspondents operating in Swaziland.

VISION

By the year 2010 SBIS shall be a fully fledged Public Service Broadcaster, a vehicle for providing comprehensive information for Development and Social Welfare to all sectors of Swazi Society.

MISSION STATEMENT

"The Department of Broadcasting and Information is responsible for disseminating news and information aimed at educating, informing and entertainment the Swazi nation effectively and impartially for purposes of development and social welfare through radio broadcast and publication".

VALUES

* Accountability to the full spectrum of all people of Swaziland for

providing high quality programmes and information services.

* Commitment to the truth and balancing reporting

* Compassion and concern for human dignity, life and environment.

* Professionalism in quality, efficiency, reliability, management and

financial accountability.

OBJECTIVES

The overall objective of the department is to assist the Government of Swaziland meet her priorities under the National Development Strategy ( NDS), and in particular towards the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic, poverty alleviation and employment generation through the provision of Radio broadcasts and publications which educate, inform and entertain the public continuously throught time.

CURRENT ACTIVITIES

The Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Services currently provides radio programming and the dissemination of news through radio broadcasts and publications.

There are currently two channels one broadcasting in the local Siswati language 24 hours a day. The other broadcasts in the English Service for 18 hours a day.

There is only one publication called Swaziland Today a news letter obtainable once every Friday of a week.

The Swaziland Broadcasting and Information (SBIS) also accredits foreign and local journalists for the coverage of activities in the country.

As an ancillary service, the SBIS assists in the provision of public address systems for national events and celebrations, funerals and Tinkhundla activities, and for general public functions. 

SECTIONAL ACTIVITIES

In order to meet the objectives of the Department, the SBIS has seven sections as follows:

a) General Management

b) Programmes 

c) Audio Systems Engineering 

d) Transmissions Engineering

e) Educational broadcasts

f) Accounts 

g) Information Section

Director                      Mr. Mandla Stan D. Motsa

Deputy Director       Mr. Timothy Shongwe