SECTOR 2

process will also have to include an examination of laws that are already on the
statute books so that government can identify where changes have to be made and
what new pieces of legislation are needed.

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: 			

1.6 (2008 = n/a; 2006 = n/a)

2.10 Government does not use its power over the
placement of advertisements as a means to interfere
with editorial content.
At present there have been no cases of withdrawal of advertising from critical or
mainstream media by government.
There are concerns within the media industry, however, that government may in
future place its advertising in the new daily New Age to be launched in September
(see above under indicator 2.1).
In some towns and cities municipality advertising is being channelled away from
mainstream media and placed in local authority publications instead.
Amongst community radio station managers there is a sense that they can not
afford to offend government, given that many stations rely solely on government
advertising.
As all these observations are based on perceptions rather than on hard evidence,
the panel was divided in its assessment.

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SOUTH AFRICA 2010

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