SECTOR 2 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: 2.8 (2011:2.9; 2009: 1.9; 2007: n/a; 2005: n/a) 2.9 Media cover the full spectrum of economic, cultural, political, social, national and local perspectives and conduct investigative stories. While a diversity of issues is covered, there is little depth in this reporting. Political issues dominate the topical landscape in the Zambian media. “These subject areas are covered, yes, but how they are covered is a different issue. The angle or focus is often problematic.” Even economic and cultural issues usually have a political dimension in the way they are reported. “Social issues are only discussed when they are dramatic – such as the recent case of the young man who wanted to commit suicide from a mast at the police headquarters.” To add to this lack of topical diversity, there are not many journalists who specialise in specific issues, and this contributes to the lack of depth in reporting. With newsrooms being under-resourced and under-staffed, this situation is further exacerbated. “In newsrooms, you find that people are reporting on all sorts of things.” Investigative stories are published only “once in a while”, and most reportage is “event-driven” and based on press conferences or media releases. The standard of reporting is generally good when stories are well researched. However, this is rare, and the “lack of research has dealt a blow, even in terms of (journalists) asking intelligent questions”. 40 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZAMBIA 2013