SECTOR 4 4.8 Equal opportunities regardless of race or ethnicity, social group, gender/sex, religion, disabilities and age are promoted in media houses. In terms of ethnicity, Lesotho is not very diverse, and is made up almost entirely– over 99 percent – of the Basotho people. As such, ethnic diversity is a “nonissue”. With regards to sex, the proportion of men and women represented in the organisational structure differs from one media house to the next. At Lesotho TV and Lesotho Times, for example, decision-making positions are held mostly by men. Even where the numbers are a little more equal, however, often men are sent on certain stories, “and the women are only considered when those men come back empty-handed.” In terms of sexual orientation, however, “we don’t see people from the LGBTI community” participating as media practitioners. With respect to providing equal opportunities to people with disabilities, media houses in Lesotho appear to be non-discriminatory, and panellists easily cited examples. Mo’Afrika, for example, employs three people with disabilities, Radio Molisa ea Molemo employs one, and Lesotho Times has an award-winning photographer with a disability in its employ. In terms of religious diversity, most media houses are not picky (90 percent of Basotho identify as Christian). However, there are stations that are established along religious lines that only employ people from that religious perspective. Radio Molisa ea Molemo – a Christian radio station – is a case in point in this regard. Age-wise, the media fraternity has lost a number of senior journalists, and lacks seasoned media professionals “who are able to transfer skills to younger journalists.” One panellist noted that “there is a new crop of young journalists who are simply craving celebrity”, while another lamented that, “these young ones are just out of order.” However, opportunities are open to all, and there has been no known instance of age discrimination. “My boss always says that as long as someone is productive and delivering, he/ she should be given a chance.” MoAfrika has hired an older, seasoned journalist from Lesotho Radio to assist in the training of younger journalists. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER Lesotho 2015 61