Swaziland 3.3 The body regulates broadcasting in the public interest and ensures fairness and a diversity of views broadly representing society at large. ANALYSIS: There is no evidence of the regulating bodies acting in the public interest and promoting fairness and diversity in the broadcasting sector. Since they are effectively government-controlled and not accountable to the public, they are not expected to espouse these principles, nor do they demonstrate any effort to do so. SCORES: Individual scores: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 Average score: 1.0 3.4 (2005=1.0) The body’s decisions on licensing in particular are informed by a broadcasting policy developed in a transparent and inclusive manner. ANALYSIS: Licensing decisions are not informed by sound policy. In the absence of an independent regulator, government interests determine licensing decisions. As the Information and Media Policy acknowledges: “The authority to grant broadcast licenses is vested with authorities whose organisations are also competitors in the same lines of business”. The Policy promotes independent and transparent licensing decisions, but this cannot be realised until legislation is passed to establish an independent regulator. The panel noted that the Policy was not developed in a transparent and inclusive manner. 26 African Media Barometer - Swaziland 2007