SECTOR 3 3.3 The body, which regulates broadcasting services and licences, does so in the public interest and ensures fairness and a diversity of views broadly representing society at large. “The policies look good on paper, but in practice MACRA has always favoured the ruling party.” During the past regime, the content on the MBC was 95 percent ruling party propaganda. Any other broadcaster, which deviated in any way from the state viewpoint was threatened by the state with losing its licence. During January 2011, the MACRA director-general warned Capital Radio of this, after it aired a story saying that the then president was surrounded by “hand clappers”. The DG said this was tantamount to stirring up public discord, hatred and ridicule. Before Joyce Banda took over as president, broadcast licence applicants were seen as a threat to government and most licences were given to religious and/or community stations, which were seen as less of a threat to the state than news broadcasters. This has changed in recent months, with almost 20 new licences being awarded to private and community radio and television stations in July 2012. However, members of the public and the media, specifically, are still in the dark as to the criteria for the issuance of a broadcasting licence. “All the private broadcasters are doing the same thing – entertainment and news. There is no diversity.” The current concern is that many of the outspoken civil society and media activists have been incorporated into Banda’s new government, resulting in a vacuum of NGO criticism. For example, Brian Banda, an outspoken and highly experienced media practitioner who was previously a presenter on Capital Radio’s weekly Straight Talk programme, is now the State House press officer, while former editor of Malawi News, Steven Nhlane, is now the presidential press secretary. “Opposition voices have been subdued and recruited into the establishment. The voices of dissent have been silenced with monetary rewards.” 40 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER MALAWI 2012