6ZD]LODQG they are unable to generate advertising revenue – the lifeblood of any newspaper. Adding to the woes, the Swazi print media suffered a setback when sole proprietor of the only vernacular newspaper Vuka Ngwane, Bonisile Mncina, died mid-year. Her newspaper was targeting readers in the remote rural areas in the country’s four regions. Barely five years into the market, Vuka Ngwane was forced to close down after Mncina’s death. Constantly marginalised by the profit-driven English-language newspapers, a bulk of the SiSwati populace in the rural areas has limited access to print media. (Broadcast media, particularly radio, has a more reach and influence in rural areas). Little has changed in the broadcast media. The Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Services (SBIS), which controls radio, and Swaziland Television Broadcasting Corporation (STBC), television, remain the two dominant players – the two only players, really. They operate with public funds, yet they remain state broadcasters instead of public service broadcasters. Government has invoked Public Service Announcement (PSA) guidelines to prevent citizens from airing their views via these state broadcasters. There is one other radio station, the Voice of the Church (VOC), airing mostly religious programmes. And there is a private television station, Channel Swazi, which is on and off air due to financial challenges. Neither of these independent broadcasters dare to question the country’s ruling elite or report on them in anything but positive terms. 6R7KLVLV'HPRFUDF\" In optimistic and laudable readiness for the passage of the Swaziland Communications Bill of 2010, which might free up the airwaves, the unlicensed community radio stations have formed a Community Radio Network to speak with one voice. They are the Lubombo Community Radio, Matsanjeni Community Radio and Ngwempisi Community Radio. $FFHVVWR,QIRUPDWLRQ Swaziland does not have an Access to Information Law. Naturally, this curtails the free flow of information. When the media, whose raison d’être is to disseminate information, requests information from either government or business; it finds itself shoved from pillar to post. Even the popular monthly breakfast media briefings organised by the public and private sector have not helped the situation. Industry captains and senior government officials simply use them to share selective information with the media practitioners. A good example being an apology demanded by Martin Dlamini, governor of the Central Bank of Swaziland, from the media after a one and half days media briefing with all the editors from the media meetings. Using clandestine methods to curry favour with the media, big corporations dole out freebies to the editors and journalists. True to the saying ‘there is no such things as a free lunch’ these freebies tend to compromise editorial independence of the media; not to mention Article 3(1) of the journalists’ code of ethics: “Journalists should not accept