Malawi Issues of health, education, business, economics and culture get just about fair treatment but these stories lack depth because of journalists’ limited ability to interpret data and concepts in a meaningful way. Most of these items are simply lifted from press releases without much editing. It is no wonder then that most important issues get published in the form of press releases or paid adverts. Some groundbreaking economic stories are treated as picture stories paid for by the industry. Broadcasting fares better in this regard, with MBC radio being at pains to cover the full spectrum of events. Investigative stories appear only once in a while, being very difficult to research. Because of a lack of transport (or sheer laziness) journalists mostly use of the phone for interviewing sources for such purposes and people are rarely willing to divulge information especially of a sensitive nature over the phone. SCORES: Individual score: 4, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 3 Average score: 3.3 4.4 Gender mainstreaming is promoted in terms of equal participation of both sexes in the production process. ANALYSIS: Although media houses claim to be equal opportunity employers, the print media in particular are seriously male dominated with only very few female journalists in senior positions. Broadcasting media fare better with Capital FM having a 50:50 ratio. MBC has a female Deputy Director General and TVM boasts three women in top positions. African Media Barometer - Malawi 2006 31