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: 2.8 (2005 = 1.1; 2007 = 1.2; 2009 =1.1) 3.6 The editorial independence of the state/public broadcaster from political influence is guaranteed by law and practised. Editorially, the ZNBC is not independent from political interference. This is despite the fact that the law guarantees editorial independence under the ZNBC Amendment Act of 2002, which states, under point 34, that the ZNBC must “implement the editorial policies of the Corporation and maintain editorial independence.” The institution is currently under the control of the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services and not a board at this point. Even once a board is appointed, according to the ZNBC Amendment Act of 2010, these appointments will be made by the minister. The ZNBC Amendment Act of 2002 also states under point 4 (3) that people will only qualify to be appointed to the board if they are “committed to fairness, freedom of expression, openness and accountability”. “It is well known that after the ZNBC sub-editors have agreed on the line-up for the evening’s news, it is passed on to senior management and then the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services, who has the power to change the order or remove any items.” Mention was made of a senior news manager and a commissioning editor at the ZNBC who have been fired in the past two years for choosing footage that did not put the ruling party in a favourable light. It is also known that the ZNBC will not screen programmes produced, for example, by civil society organisations, if they are in any way critical of the state or present the opposition in a positive manner. 46 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZAMBIA 2011