SECTOR 2 2.2 Citizens’ access to domestic and international media sources is not restricted by state authorities. At one time the radio broadcasts of externally based radio stations such as Studio 7 and Voice of the People were being jammed but this is said to be no longer the case. These stations are regarded as “pirate” stations by the State and there have been several incidents of harassment against interviewees and listeners. Solar powered shortwave radios that were being distributed have been confiscated by state authorities. At the time of the panel meeting it was not clear whether foreign print media which refuse to be registered by the Zimbabwe Media Commission under AIPPA (see indicator 1.5) are to be banned as a consequence. 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 (2010:2.3; 2008:2.8; 2006:1.2) 2.3 Efforts are undertaken to increase the scope of circulation of the print media, particularly to rural communities. Efforts to increase the circulation of print media in general face several challenges. Printing costs are very high and newsprint is expensive. Supplies have to be imported from China, Russia and South Africa and are heavily taxed. As a consequence, papers are forced to save on newsprint by reducing the size of the paper and the print run. There is the additional problem of transporting the newsprint to Zimbabwe as there is often major traffic congestion at border posts. Private weeklies such as the Zimbabwe Independent are distributed mainly in urban centres and in some remote areas but sales are inhibited by its prohibitive cost of US$2 – often a hundred copies may be taken to a rural area and only three copies are sold. 28 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZIMBABWE 2012