ANALYSIS: One view is that government has the political will making for an environment which allows for a diverse media landscape. This is substantiated by government’s recent reduction in duty on computers and the fact that it places no obstacles to private investment in the media industry. Further, the government, through the Ministry of Communications, has provided office space and technical expertise to the RANET (Radio & Internet) programme which the government, local and international NGOs use to procure and distribute communication equipment to upcoming community radio stations and local communities. The government has provided RANET with premises at the Meteorological Department in Lusaka. The fact that there are no legal obstacles to establishing print media was cited as another sign of good will, while some said that the unhindered use of fundamental rights was a matter of course and not promotion of a diverse media landscape. The counter view is that there is no true political will on the part of government. For example, it has rejected past media representations to reduce the duty on newsprint and other consumables for the print media sector as well as import duties for broadcasting equipment.. The government’s wavering stance on the IBA and ZNBC Boards is further proof of this lack of political will. This explains why, although the advent of political pluralism opened the potential for media plurality and diversity, the process has stalled. Attempts at media reforms have repeatedly fizzled out, or been slowed down by government. SCORES: Individual scores: 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 1, 2, 1 Average score: 1.5 2.10 Private media outlets operate as efficient and professional businesses. ANALYSIS: Most of the newspapers which emerged in the 1990s with the return to multi-party politics had a very short lifespan and have since collapsed. Only the Post has succeeded where most have fallen. The fact that commercial radio stations such as Phoenix have survived indicates that they have been managed professionally. SCORES: Individual scores: 1, 2, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 Average score: 2 2.11 State print media are not subsidised with tax payers’ money. ANALYSIS: There is no direct government subvention to the state print media. Neither the Zambia Daily Mail nor the Times of Zambia receive a subsidy from government. The government may, however, occasionally source donor funding for, or help in the settlement of financial disputes involving the two institutions, as it did in 2001 when it intervened to restrain the Zambia Revenue Authority from collecting the full tax due from the Zambia Daily Mail, the Times of Zambia, and ZNBC, which might have disrupted operations at the three institutions. So This Is Democracy? 2005 -271- Media Institute of Southern Africa