SECTOR 3 3.7 The state/public broadcaster is adequately funded in a manner that protects it from arbitrary interference through its budget and from commercial pressure. The public broadcaster is generally funded through the government budget, more precisely that of the Ministry of Communications. The broadcaster itself only administers its operating budget. All other items of expenditure require ministerial approval: acquisition of equipment, miscellaneous investments, budget cuts or increased revenues, higher pay, hiring and dismissal of staff. In short, the management of the two public broadcasters is relegated to playing a merely executionary and supervisory role. For example, sending a reporter on a mission abroad is rarely done at the initiative of the public broadcaster. The journalist will first be invited by an organisation or a Ministry and they will cover all travel-related costs. While this may save the public broadcaster money, the system undermines the independence of the journalist and the credibility of the media outlet. Contracts with private companies may be freely signed by the broadcasters, as long as they are able to honour their commitments. National television is the most popular communication medium for private companies, since it provides the widest coverage and its rates are affordable. Advertising is an important source of revenue for both RNM and TVM. However, this revenue goes straight to the State Treasury and not into the budget of the two public broadcasters themselves. As a result such income does not help to strengthen their financial independence. The budget allocated to the public broadcasters by government is just enough for their operation, but certainly not for quality productions. In 2009, at the height of the crisis, the new premises and equipment of TVM and RNM were burnt down and the services were compelled to continue broadcasting with whatever was left at their disposal. This insecure financial situation promotes bartering, a system whereby private agencies, sponsored or not, produce their own programmes and broadcast them within a time slot purchased from the public broadcaster. 106 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER MADAGASCAR 2010