SECTOR 4 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: 2.9 (2008 = 2.2; 2006 = 2.3) 4.6 Owners of established mainstream private media do not interfere with editorial independence. Cutting staff and resources could be interpreted as severe interference with editorial independence, but owners of established mainstream private media do not interfere directly in editorial decisions. There are no known cases of owners coming into newsrooms and throwing their weight around. They are merely interested in the bottom line. Panellists placed different emphasis on the two types of interference – structural or direct. 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: 64 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SOUTH AFRICA 2010 2.7 (2008 = 2.1; 2006 = 2.5)