SECTOR 2 2.3 The editorial independence of print media published by a public authority is protected adequately against undue political interference The Swazi Observer, which is completely owned by the royal family (through the Tibiyo Taka Ngwane Fund) is the closest form of a print media publication published by a public authority.8 The Observer was formed to give voice to the royal family and the government. Given that it is owned by the king who is a public authority with the ability to make public pronouncements, the newspaper is in many ways a state publication. Local culture and its taboos also apply with regards to the coverage of the king in the Observer: ‘You can never have a picture of the king and a story about death on the first page. When the prime minister died, they couldn’t have that coverage on the same page as the king’s story.’ External contributors to the paper have also ‘been instructed to articulate issues very carefully, otherwise they will not be published’. There have been occasions where certain columns were not published because they first had to await for the approval of the managing editor. 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 (2005:1.9; 2007:2.4; 2009:1.7; 2011: 2.9; 2014: 1.3) 2.4 Transparency of ownership of media houses in print/ broadcasting is guaranteed by law and enforced Information on the ownership of media houses in print and broadcasting can be accessed at the Registrar of Companies, as this level of transparency is provided for in the Companies Act of 2009. ‘This is information that you can reasonably access because it’s not that sensitive.’ 8 26 Panellists noted that each citizen had to contribute to the setup of the Fund, which was initially meant to be a national fund, but has now essentially become a royal investment wing that is more tilted to the royal family than to the public. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ESWATINI 2018