SECTOR 3 Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: Score of previous years: ✓✓✓ ✓✓✓✓✓ ✓ ✓✓ ✓ 2.1 2005: n/a; 2007: n/a; 2009: 1.2; 2011: 1.4; 2015: 1.6 3.3 The body, which regulates broadcasting services and licences, does so in the public interest and ensures fairness and a diversity of views broadly representing society at large For the most part, CRAN is seen as being balanced, fair and professional as a regulator. ‘Despite its political leanings, there have been no particular instances where we see that those leanings have affected decision-making.’ It should be noted, however, that CRAN does not regulate the NBC, though ‘there is a thin line between the two legislative frameworks’. ‘The relationship between NBC and CRAN is not quite clear. There has been some interference with respect to NBC’s plans to make one of its stations – Touch FM – a commercial broadcaster. Further, NBC has to go through CRAN to import certain equipment, etc.’ There was general consensus from the panel that ‘from an overall perspective of who the licences are given to, there is a diverse licensing framework’. It was also acknowledged that the Minister appears to have some sway in the decision-making of CRAN, with one panellist noting that when CRAN was taking a lengthy period of time to approve an application for a community broadcasting licence (for good reason given CRAN’s concerns about the station having more of a commercial business model than that of a community station), following a direct complaint to the Minister the community broadcasting licence was issued shortly thereafter. 40 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER NAMIBIA 2018