2.10 Private media outlets operate as efficient and professional businesses. ANALYSIS: Many independent media institutions live on donations. Lately some media institutions folded because there were no new donations, and they were not making a profit. But there are those that are well managed and survive by selling advertising space. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 5, 4, 4, 1, 3, 4, 3, 4, 1 3.2 2.11. State print media are not subsidised with taxpayers’ money. ANALYSIS: State media must stay afloat, while at the same time on a short leash – whatever it takes, but without visibly weighing on public coffers. Firstly, by trying on its own (seek funding for the running of their institutions); then by virtue of a combination of reduced operational costs (tax exemptions) and a guaranteed captive/ biased market by stifling alternative voices to the state broadcaster. If all else fails, the security net triggers into action. If they are owned by the stateowned bank, state-owned insurance company and the information ministry – it stands to reason that shareholders will ensure that these “companies” are financially operative. There is no question that they are being thus subsidised – at least indirectly. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 1.0 2.12. Government does not use its power over the placement of advertisements as a means to interfere with media content. ANALYSIS: There is some subtlety applied in this regard but not enough to camouflage the fact that government does use its power over the placement of advertisements as a means to exert control over the media. Recently, the weekly Savana published two background stories on the chairman of the board of a publicly-owned company. The paper received a letter from the company, cancelling a contract for the placement of advertisements which it had already signed. This is unfortunately a rather frequent occurrence. Whenever a paper publishes articles that seem to rattle the establishment, commercial sanctions are applied. Most advertisements end up in state-run Notícias and Domingo. Sometimes Notícias does not even have enough space to publish the advertisements. It is not clear whether there is an official recommendation for publicly-owned institutions to boycott a particular newspaper when it writes unfavourable reports. But certainly the president’s office seems to be interested in knowing what the media is saying. Former President Chissano So This Is Democracy? 2005 -215- Media Institute of Southern Africa