Namibia 2.11 State print media are not subsidised with taxpayers’ money. ANALYSIS: New Era is the only state-funded newspaper and, although it receives income from advertisements, the bulk of its funding comes from taxpayers’ money. SCORES: Individual scores: 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 Average score: 1.1 2.12 (2005 = 2.0) Government does not use its power over the placement of advertisement as a means to interfere with media content. ANALYSIS: The government ban on The Namibian newspaper, which has been in place since 2001 and prohibits government bodies from purchasing the paper or from advertising in it, is still in place. It can be seen to limit democracy and the access of The Namibian readers to certain advertisements or information, such as government employment opportunities, information about polio or how to vote, for example. There have been dissenting voices within the ruling party about the ban, notably from politician Hidipo Hamutenya in an article published in The Namibian in April 2007. It is worth noting that while former president Sam Nujoma claimed initially that the ban was a reaction to the paper’s critical reporting of the government, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting revealed this year that it was a result of criticism of Zimbabwe and its President Robert Mugabe, a close ally especially of Nujoma. African Media Barometer - Namibia 2007 23