SECTOR 2 While panellists agreed that much remains to be done with regards to enhancing the voices of women in the media, things have somewhat improved. Women and Law have a weekly column in the Swazi Observer and more female columnists with progressive views are being featured in the Times. Some panellists noted that in ensuring more women’s voices are heard in the media, added training is required in newsrooms. ‘We have a situation where there’s been a weakening of quality in journalists. There was a time when a lot was invested in media practitioners’ training. But now we see a juniorisation in newsrooms and with that, a re-emergence of bias regarding articulation.’ Another panellist simply stated that ‘the change needs to come from society itself’. 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: ✓✓ ✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓ 3.2 (2005: n/a; 2007: n/a; 2009: 3.1; 2011: 3.4; 2014: 2.9) 2.8 All media fairly represent the voices of society and its minorities in its ethnic, linguistic and religious diversity Panellists agreed that eSwatini’s media could do better when it comes to representing the voices of society in all their diversity. ‘We are not doing well with regards to ethnicity. When you try to get views from the public, you hardly ever have people that are non-Swazi, such as citizens that are naturalised and so forth. So, the picture you get is of a homogenous society, but there is some diversity.’ ‘In some areas of eSwatini, we have people who are Swazi by citizenship, but Zulu by ethnicity. But the media doesn’t do enough to capture their voices.’ Panellists noted that concern has previously been expressed about the media taking a xenophobic stance and the potential danger which could result from this. In some cases, non-Swazis may prefer to say ‘no comment’ because they are unsure of what the repercussions might be if they do comment. 30 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ESWATINI 2018