SECTOR 3

The range of diversity of programming on TV also leaves much to be desired.
While there is a good deal of local content and magazine programmes on
Swazi TV, these programmes have simply become a mouthpiece of the different
ministries and serve more as promotional content.
‘There aren’t programmes that touch on sensitive issues. You might have sports
programmes [or] health programmes where the doctor comes into the studio,
etc. We don’t have children’s programmes on radio or TV, aside from [the]
Smurfs.’
‘Swazi TV used to have a drama series some years back,’ but currently, there
are no locally produced drama series on the air. ‘Instead of having current
programmes produced, they will have dramas that were produced 10-15 years
ago.’
‘If it’s not a government programme, you’ll find old programmes like Another
Life, MacGyver, Uzalo Season 111 and the like.’
Local filmmakers and producers are not encouraged to produce content for
Swazi TV, because ‘if you have a programme, instead of TV licensing those
programmes, you have to pay to have them aired’.
Both radio and TV source a lot of their news from the BBC and other international
news programmes.

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:

2.5 (2005: n/a; 2007: n/a; 2009: n/a; 2011: n/a;
2014: 2.1)

Overall Score for Sector 3:

1.6

11 Uzalo is a popular South African daily drama that shows on the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)
channel.

43

✓

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ESWATINI 2018

Select target paragraph3