The NCC has a policy that requires it to take into account the public interest and public opinion, but there have never been any public meetings to actively involve the public in any way. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 3.5 3, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 1.3 The public broadcaster is accountable to the public through a board representative of society at large and selected in an independent, open and transparent manner. ANALYSIS: The NBC Act of 1991 is based on the old South African legislation and places the public broadcaster under the supervision of a board appointed by the minister of information and broadcasting. The first board of the NBC after independence was appointed in a more independent manner, but somewhere along the way this changed. Civil society has been passive about this change in policy and allowed it to happen, therefore it has to take part of the blame. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 3.6 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 1.0 Persons who have vested interests of a political or commercial nature are excluded from possible membership in the board, i.e. office bearers with state and political parties as well as those with a financial interest in the broadcasting industry. ANALYSIS: The board of NBC does not include any members with commercial interests. It is not known whether there are any office bearers with the state or political parties on the board but the mere fact that the minister appoints the board members is an indicator that the board is not free from political influence. It was suggested that civil society should get more involved in the appointment of the NBC board. When the term of the current board is about to end, civil society should start lobbying and come up with some names, “the people’s board.” “It is like people don’t know that the public broadcaster should not be state controlled. Civil society should compile and submit a list of names for the next NBC board. Maybe it is rejected, maybe not, but our views will have been made known, we will have made a statement.” SCORES: Individual score: Average score: 3.7 2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1 1.9 The editorial independence of the public broadcaster is guaranteed by law and practiced. ANALYSIS: So This Is Democracy? 2005 -235- Media Institute of Southern Africa