Several organisations are offering opportunities for journalists to upgrade their skills but there
is no systematic approach, resulting in the phenomenon of “workshop journalists who go to
ten workshops a year”.
Young black professionals – 15 years after independence – still come up against a glass ceiling, not being allowed to move up to management levels in media houses. They are getting
trained, but often leave the media for public relations careers because their aspirations are
frustrated.
SCORES:
Individual scores:
Average score:

2, 2, 3, 3, 2, 3, 3, 4
2.8

4.8 Journalists and other media practitioners are organised in professional
unions.
ANALYSIS:
Some journalists are members of MISA Namibia and/or the Editors’ Forum and/or the very
informal Windhoek Press Club, where they get together on a recreational level. There is a
noticeable divide in membership. The Editors’ Forum has members from the NBC and
Allgemeine Zeitung but not from the Namibian while MISA Namibia has members from the
Namibian and the New Era but not from the NBC.
There is no trade union for journalists.
SCORES:
Individual scores:
Average score:

4.9

4, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 2, 4
2.9

Gender mainstreaming is promoted, in terms of equal participation of
both sexes in the production process.

ANALYSIS:
Some newsrooms, like those of NBC and New Era, have almost equal numbers of male and
female journalists. Others such as Allgemeine Zeitung, Republikein and Windhoek Observer
are still very male dominated, as are all commercial radio stations whose staff is mainly white
male.
There seems to be no policy promoting gender mainstreaming in place at media houses ensuring equal participation at all levels.
SCORES:
Individual scores:
Average score:

3, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4
3.0

4.10 Gender mainstreaming is reflected in the editorial content.
ANALYSIS:
So This Is Democracy? 2005

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Media Institute of Southern Africa

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