SECTOR 3 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: 1.5 (2012 = 1.0; 2010 = 1.0; 2008 = 1.0; 2006 = 1.0) 3.5 The editorial independence of the state/public broadcaster from political influence is guaranteed by law and practised to ensure balanced and fair news and current affairs programmes. There is no legislation guaranteeing the independence of Lesotho TV or Lesotho Radio, or protecting them from state interference. Furthermore, the public broadcaster has no editorial policy. “The Ministry of Communications treats and understands the state broadcaster to be the government’s mouthpiece or propaganda machinery.” “The Minister gives directives to the newsroom to say what it can and can’t broadcast,” and in the past, stories that were ready and about to air, and which had come to the attention of the Minister and did not meet his approval, could be called off at a moment’s notice. At the end of May, 2014, a press conference held by the Transformative Resource Centre, to condemn the abductions of soldiers in the army was covered during the 7:30pm (Sesotho) news broadcast, but was removed from the 9pm (English) News. “Usually, there is the exact same content on the two news services.” Controversial issues are watered down as much as possible if they are to appear in the state media, self-censorship is rife at the public broadcaster, and issues related to national security are often omitted altogether. “It is public knowledge that Lesotho TV and Radio are not editorially independent.” 46 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER Lesotho 2015