Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Service is the state owned broadcast and print information provider of Swaziland. It was founded in 1966 as a radio broadcaster, and was merged with print media in the early 1970s. It is a member of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association. Since 1991 it has been under the Ministry of Broadcasting, Information and Tourism and is responsible for:
Contents
- Radio and television broadcasting services;
- Newspapers, magazines and other printed governmental publications;
- Government information services including Internet;
- Accreditation of foreign news reporters and correspondents operating in Swaziland.
Radio Swaziland
Radio Swaziland is the state owned radio broadcast system in Swaziland. It was founded in 1966 and first broadcast on 19 April that year using a medium wave (MW) transmitter. It currently (2010) operates four FM transmitters, two in Mbabane and two in Manzini. It broadcasts in English at 91.6 MHz (Mbabane) and 93.6 MHz (Manzini). It broadcasts in Swazi at 88.5 MHz (Mbabane) and 105.2 MHz (Manzini).
Phesheya Dube
Phesheya Dube was a Swazi journalist who pretended that he reported from the midst of the fighting in Baghdad during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
When the war in Iraq started, Dube began to send "live" reports from Baghdad to the Morning Show of Radio Swaziland. Program host Moses Matsebula even told him to take care of himself and once instructed him to find a cave to hide from the missiles. He also asked the listeners to pray for Dube when the station appeared to have lost contact with him.
However, in March 2003, legislators in the Swaziland parliament spotted Dube outside parliament. MP Jojo Dlamini demanded explanation from the Information Minister Mntomzima Dlamini in the House of Assembly. Dlamini said he would investigate and later reprimanded Dube.
Dube had been broadcasting live from his home. He had based his reports on international news stories and rehashed them into his own material. Dube continued to work for Radio Swaziland in other capacities.
Swaziland Television Authority
The Swaziland Television Authority runs a station known today (2010) as "Swazi TV". It was officially started by King Sobhuza II in February 1978 as the Swaziland Television Broadcasting Corporation (STBC). before that the station had been run by a private company. In 1983 the Swazi Parliament created the Swaziland Television Authority.
Internet
The government maintains an Internet site for news and information about its officials, ministries and departments, events, documents, official speeches and government tenders.