0R]DPELTXH port the official line with abundant advertising. The two paradigmatic examples of these are that of Verdade Newspaper that is distributed free of charge to citizens but hardly receives advertising revenue from the government, and Noticias, which monopolises government advertising. c) Frequently inviting journalists to accompany senior government officials on trips to the interior and on overseas missions. d) Paying journalists’ travel costs, accommodation and food during these trips. This also includes providing them with a per diem that is sometimes more than their meagre monthly salary (infoasaid, 2012). Because of this, very few reporters who benefit from such largesse publish critically report on their benefactors. On the other hand, aid agencies also frequently pay journalists to cover their activities, a move that likewise tends to guarantee favourable coverage. Moreover, prominent businessmen have been known to bribe reporters in order to ensure that they appear in a good light. Publications that publish unfavourable reports about powerful people may face court charges of defamation or worse. Media freedom becomes more tenuous the further north you go from Maputo and the deeper you go into rural areas. Away from the big cities, local officials frequently threaten and intimidate reporters. 6R7KLVLV'HPRFUDF\" /HJLVODWLYH3DQRUDPDIUHHGRP RIH[SUHVVLRQSUHVVIUHHGRP DQGULJKWWRLQIRUPDWLRQLQ 0R]DPELTXH According to the Constitution, Mozambique is a rule of law governed democracy, where Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Press are constitutionally granted in Article 48, section 1 that says “All citizens are entitled to freedom of expression, press freedom and the right to information.” These rights are operationalised through Law 18/91, the Press Law, which establishes the appropriate implementing mechanisms. Mozambique has also adopted several regional and international instruments on freedom of expression and press freedom, namely: • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights; • The African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights; • The Declaration on Principles of Freedom of Expression in Africa (that led to the birth of the so-called Windhoek Declaration); • The SADC Protocol on Education, Culture and Sports. The legal instruments mentioned above are domesticated by the Constitution of the Republic of Mozambique (CRM) through ordinary laws. The legal scenario suggests that there are formally minimal legislative commandments that are conducive to freedom of expression, pluralism and diversity of media. The Constitution of Mozambique provides for freedom of expression as an essential foundation of