that will continue to dent the country’s image with regard to respect of digital rights. On another negative note, the year goes by without enactment of legislation on Access to Information, adding yet another year. 5.0. Recommendations i. Safeguarding the sustainability of media enterprises Given the negative economic trends observed throughout the year and the fluctuations during the quarter under review, it is critical that financial support initiatives are created for the media sector. Deliberate tax and non-tax incentives must be developed in the budget framework in order to bail out the media in view of the turbulence experienced in the greater part of the year. ii. Public media reform There is need to reform the state media houses into public media that truly represent the wider society and their divergent views, even those deemed to be critical of the State. There should be reform of the board appointment processes and governance model to guarantee autonomy and independence; there must be review of the funding models to ensure sustainability. There is need for the UPND government to put in place debt-restructuring programmes for the public media as well as practicable reforms. iii. ZAMEC Bill presentation There is need for government to present the ZAMEC Bill for enactment as a measure aimed at encouraging professionalism in the media fraternity. Government must recognise the process as being built on the ideals of co-regulation, where the fraternity develops the standards/content and government only facilitates the legal framework without alteration. iv. Access to Information Bill There is need for immediate enactment of the Access to Information Bill which has stalled for a long time. Government must desist from stalling the process any further through similar pronouncements and promises made by past regimes in the last two decades. v. Review of laws inimical to freedom of expression There is need for review of laws that continue to hinder the enjoyment of freedom of expression and other civil liberties as guaranteed by the Constitution. 35