State of the media in Southern Africa - 2003 informed and supported primarily by local, regional and global perspectives on the media. Given that six out of every ten Malawians live in a state of destitution and that the life expectancy of a Malawian is 39 years, it is treason to restrain any media initiative aimed at providing empowering information or avenues for effective dialogue or participation of the citizenry. 1 The Malawi Constitution guarantees freedoms of expression and of the press. Malawi also has a statutory body responsible for the regulation of Communications, the Malawi Communications Authority, following the enactment of the 1998 Communications Act, and the Ministry of Information has published Communication Policy Statements. In principle, Government also strongly emphasises the role of the media in public affairs although in practice it has systematically stifled media freedom. 2 MACRA has openly admitted that it has not licensed MBC and TVM as public broadcasters. Thus MACRA cannot enforce public service broadcasting obligations as stipulated in the 1998 Communications Act. MBC claims the Act does not compel it to get a licence from MACRA because MBC is granted authority to broadcast through another section, which reconstitutes MBC under the same Act. 3 Economic viability of most media is dependent on ‘government business’. Malawi has a very narrow industrial base and the economy is agriculture-based. Government is the single major source of commercial revenue to the media. Government has already used this financial muscle to censor anti-establishment sentiments in the media. 4 Sixty two percent of a population of 11 million live on less than one United States Dollar a day. 5 Information Department produces films, conducts research and publishes magazines and newspapers. 6 Government uses a cash-budget system of remitting subvention to departments and parastatal organisation, in which treasury remits money on a month-to-month basis. While the system does not offer room for long term financial planning, it also renders public media prone to political manipulation as taps of financial resources may be turned on and off at will by government. So This Is Democracy? 2003 43 Media Institute of Southern Africa