SECTOR 3 3.5 Office bearers with the state and political parties as well as those with a financial interest in the broadcasting industry are excluded from possible membership on the board of the state/public broadcaster. There is no provision in the Act for the exclusion of office bearers with the state or political parties or those with a financial interest in the broadcasting industry. 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: 1.5 (2010:2.6; 2008:1.0; 2006:1.0) 3.6 The editorial independence of the state/public broadcaster from political influence is guaranteed by law and practiced. According to the ZBC (Commercialisation) Act 2001, the state is the only shareholder in ZBC, holding its shares through persons appointed by the Minister of Information and who serve “as an agent of the State” (section 5). Section 3 gives the ZBC a clear mandate to “give priority to serving the needs of the state”. This rules out any possibility of the ZBC being independent. 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: 42 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZIMBABWE 2012 1.4 (2010:1.0; 2008:n/a; 2006:n/a)