Namibia
Readers with Internet access can also read most of the daily newspapers online.
SCORES:
Individual scores:

4, 4, 3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 3, 3

Average score:

3.4

2.4

(2005 = 4.0)

Broadcasting legislation has been passed and is implemented that provides for a conducive environment for public,
commercial and community broadcasting.

ANALYSIS:
The Namibian Communications Commission (NCC), which manages
the country’s frequency spectrum, has restricted the number of FM
frequencies allocated to broadcasting operators to 24. Technically
the NCC could allocate up to 32 frequencies. There was consensus
that the NCC’s management style is haphazard and appears to favour commercial stations over community stations. A few years ago
the last available FM broadcasting frequency in Windhoek was given
to Radio France International, which broadcasts mostly in French,
rather than to a local radio station.
Katutura Community Radio (KCR), which was off air for a number of
years, has been resuscitated, although its good frequency was taken
away by the NCC in the process and given to commercial radio station, Radio Energy.
The existing legislation regarding the NCC and its powers does not
cover the public broadcaster and is very vague about community
broadcasting. Commercial and community radio stations are not
compelled to broadcast local news, with the result that they mostly
play music but do not provide Namibians with information about
16

African Media Barometer - Namibia 2007

Select target paragraph3