SECTOR 2

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:

1.8 (2005 = n/a; 2007 = n/a; 2009 = 2.3)

2.8
All media fairly reflect the voices of society in
its ethnic, linguistic, religious, political and social
diversity.
There are 45 languages in Zambia8, including English but excluding numerous
localised dialects. The media, especially the print media, tend not to reflect this
linguistic diversity. All mainstream newspapers and magazines are published in
English. ZANIS has printed free, vernacular-language newspapers in the past, but
these are not regular publications.
The state’s ZNBC has three radio stations: Radio 1 broadcasts in the seven main
vernacular languages spoken in the country’s nine provinces; Radio 2 is in English;
and Radio 4, the entertainment channel, broadcasts in English, although both
local and foreign music are played.
ZNBC TV and the private, commercial television stations broadcast in English
only, except for the ZNBC TV’s brief daily news broadcast from 5pm in the seven
local languages.
Community and religious radio stations are more representative of local languages
and tend to broadcast in the main regional language of the area, as well as in
English, while most commercial and educational radio stations broadcast in
English.
Politically, the ruling MMD party gets the most coverage, followed by the
opposition Patriotic Front, and smaller parties are sidelined.
8 http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=ZM, accessed on 30 August 2011

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZAMBIA 2011

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Select target paragraph3