2.10 Private media outlets operate as efficient and professional businesses. ANALYSIS: The Times of Swaziland, the dominant private media outlet, makes a substantial profit and has seen circulation increase over the last two years, an indication that it is operating efficiently and professionally. The other private publication, The Nation magazine, is doing reasonably well in business terms, though profits are modest. However, Youth Connexion magazine is struggling and sometimes has to forego monthly editions. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 4, 3, 4, 4, 3, 3, 4, 4 3.6 (2005=2.6) 2.11 State print media are not subsidised with taxpayers’ money. ANALYSIS: The Swazi Observer, the only state print media, is not subsidised with taxpayers’ money. It is subsidised by the royal conglomerate Tibiyo TakaNgwane, but Tibiyo does not use tax funds. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 5.0 (2005=4.8) 2.12 Government does not use its power over the placement of advertisement as a means to interfere with media content. ANALYSIS: The government is the biggest single advertiser and wields enormous power in the small advertising market. Government regularly uses this power to control media content. Recently the Ministry of Health ran a series of announcements in the Observer, but refused to run them in the Times. When the newspaper confronted the Ministry, they said they withheld the advertisements because they were unhappy with the Times’ criticism of the Ministry over the public health crisis. The Observer has had similar experiences of government withholding advertisements on particular issues. This is not the result of top-level policy, but rather “just depends on which government department it is.” The media itself is to blame for sometimes being complicit in government’s interference with content. Newspapers offer articles as part of advertising packages, but do not mark these articles as advertorials. This is justified as “a marketing tactic.” SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: So This Is Democracy? 2007 2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 2 1.5 (2005=2.9) -236- Media Institute of Southern Africa