SECTOR 4 Corruption is also about not following systems and procedures. Powerful people have journalists ‘in-their-pockets’ whom they entrust to run favourable stories about them or ‘kill’ stories that may implicate them. The bribes range from receiving ‘brown envelopes’ containing cash to receiving lunch, transport money or airtime. Journalists accepting ‘freebies’ can also compromise the impartiality, credibility and quality of a story, by ignoring wrongdoing or ‘looking the other way’ when reporting on the companies that offer them. Mobile phone companies in Lesotho are known to offer freebies to journalists, however, media houses (such as NewsDay), are implementing policies on how freebies are to be ethically handled. A panellist felt that there was a thin line between corruption and receiving ‘an incentive.’ ‘I was paid 13,000 M [955 USD] to run a six-month campaign as an incentive. This was not direct corruption, but I felt uncomfortable,’ stated one panellist. 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: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓✓ 2.3 (2015: 2.1, 2012: 1.1, 2010: 2.6, 2008: n/a, 2006: n/a) 4.6 Journalists and editors do not practice selfcensorship in the private broadcasting and print media Advertising plays a huge role in self-censorship among journalists. Since the government is the largest advertiser in the country, most media houses ensure that they do not ‘step on government toes’. Advertising from private companies also contributes to self-censorship.7 On top of the financial pressure, the political affiliation of media house’ proprietors leads to self-censorship. There have been cases where media owners, who are closely associated with political parties, tell their reporters not to report negatively on that political party. 7 48 There have been cases of self-censorship in some stories of mobile phone companies. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER LESOTHO 2018