SECTOR 3 long-standing Inkatha Freedom Party member of parliament and gave up her party membership before taking office. Clifford Motsepe is a member of the executive of the ANC Youth League. 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: 1.2 (2008 = 3.8; 2006 = 3.1) 3.6 The editorial independence of the state/public broadcaster from political influence is guaranteed by law and practised. Section 6 of the Broadcasting Act stipulates that … the Corporation, in pursuit of its objectives, and in the exercise of its powers, enjoys freedom of expression and journalistic, creative and programming independence as enshrined in the Constitution. The SABC editorial policy was developed through a broad consultative process and is considered to be in full compliance with these legal and constitutional guarantees. One problematic area are provisions on “upwards referral” which deal with the handling of difficult editorial decisions. The chief executive officer of the SABC is also the editor-in-chief and sensitive stories ultimately have to be referred to him or her for a final decision if those at the lower levels of management in the news departments can not or dare not make up their mind. This constitutes a two-pronged potential threat to the broadcaster’s constitutionally guaranteed “journalistic independence”: The CEO, who is also responsible for the business success of the corporation, could be faced with conflicts of interest (i.e. might be tempted to suppress a story if it damages the image of a big advertising client). The other threat is perhaps more indirect but no less real: A clause in the articles of association, regulating the relations between the SABC and its owner, the 48 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SOUTH AFRICA 2010