SECTOR 2 2.13 The advertising market is large enough to support a diversity of media outlets. Given the ongoing economic crisis in Zimbabwe, the advertising market is certainly not big enough to sustain a large number of media outlets. “The cake has become very small.” “If you want to look at advertisers, they are very few, and much less than in the past. You can count them on one hand. So if you lose one of them, income can really take a hard knock.” There is no data, however, on the actual size or value of the advertising market. This is problematic because it affects the objectivity of reporting in cases where large advertisers are concerned, as media outlets try to maintain positive relationships with these companies in order not to lose their advertising income. “The real concern threatening private newspapers is the companies. Companies use their advertising dollars as a weapon against them.” Panellists highlighted examples where media houses had to either apologise for a negative story, or where they could not publicise a story, because of the risk of losing ad spend from certain companies. Examples were also noted where said companies threatened to pull advertising because of reportage deemed negative. “These challenges are not only particular to companies with advertising, but also to political parties” that might advertise during election campaign periods. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 1.8 (2012 = 1.8; 2010 = 1.1; 2008 = 1.9; 2006 = 2.3) Average score for sector 2: 2.5 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZIMBABWE 2015 39