SECTOR 4 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: 3.4 (2013:3.7; 2011:3.9; 2009:3.5; 2007:4.3; 2005:2.6) 4.8 Equal opportunities regardless of race or ethnicity, social group, gender/sex, religion, disabilities and age are promoted in media houses. Some panellists deemed the environment in Zambian media houses as being conducive to equal opportunities for all; regardless of ethnicity, social group, gender/sex, religion and age. With regard to persons with disabilities, however, there is room for improvement to provide increased access and opportunities. Others expressed that equal opportunities are not provided to all. When it comes to men and women, for instance, it was noticed that stories are often allocated according to gender; where women will be expected to cover issues like fashion even if their interests lie in other areas. Headline stories are usually given to experienced, i.e. older, male journalists. A counter argument was made stating that at the Lusaka office of the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS), a public relations wing of the government, all photographers are female, with a female head of photography. Additionally, there are also female sports photographers at media houses, covering a maledominated area. Others argued that women themselves “shy away from those assignments.” “The media landscape has changed, we are going towards 50 percent of women” in media houses. In newsrooms, female journalists are usually higher in number than their male counterparts. However, in upper management the number of women decreases. An exception to this rule is Komboni Radio, where most top positions are held by women. Positive examples of attempts at gender mainstreaming in the media are the Times of Zambia’s gender policy; while the Zambia Daily Mail is in the process of drafting a gender policy. AFRICANMEDIA MEDIABAROMETER BAROMETERMALAWI ZAMBIA 2016 2017 AFRICAN 65