SECTOR 3 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 (2013:1.3; 2011:1.1; 2009:1.2; 2007:1.2; 2005:1.0) 3.5 The editorial independence of the state/public broadcaster from political influence is guaranteed by law and practised to ensure balanced and fair news and current affairs programmes. In theory, based on the ZNBC Act, the editorial independence of the public broadcaster is guaranteed by law, but “in practice, it is the opposite.” “ZNBC doesn’t have any editorial independence to talk about.” There have been cases of interference from the government where the broadcaster was prohibited from covering certain stories or where it was stated that there were “instructions coming from above” not to air a specific interview. Panellists felt that, around the 2016 elections, the ZNBC did not adhere to the SADC Guidelines on Media Coverage of Elections13. “The ZNBC covered the ruling party,” but other views were hardly represented. “There was no balance,” and the, “public was starved of information.” For example, significant events, such as the United Party for National Development (UPND)’s announcement that the party would petition the results of the presidential elections were not covered by ZNBC, but were widely covered by the foreign media. 13 MISA/SADC-ECF, Guidelines on Media Coverage of Elections in the SADC Region, Windhoek: Fesmedia, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and OSISA 2012. 50 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZAMBIA 2017