SECTOR 2

Scores:
Individual scores:
1

Country does not meet indicator

2

Country meets only a few aspects of indicator

3

Country meets some aspects of indicator

4

Country meets most aspects of indicator

5

Country meets all aspects of the indicator

Average score::

1.7 (2005 = n/a; 2007 = n/a; 2009 = 1.5)

2.8
All media fairly relect the voices of society in
its ethnic, linguistic, religious, political and social
diversity.
In their deliberations on this indicator, participants discussed at length the
role played by the media during the Maputo and Matola food riots on 1 and
2 September 2010. Most participants felt that the people’s right to information
was restricted by some public media, who remained silent for a long time about
events that had an enormous impact. Access to these two towns, for example, was
impeded by roadblocks that had been set up. TVM was mentioned speciically
in this respect, as it was showing cartoons, a Mexican soap opera and a football
match while people were burning tyres in the street and sacking shops. Some
participants asserted that such practices constitute censorship, which is prohibited
by the Constitution and the Press Law.
With the exception of Rádio Moçambique that broadcasts daily in 21 languages
throughout the country, broadcasters – including public television – continue to
exclude the majority of Mozambican society as they use the Portuguese language
almost exclusively.
Participants also noted that the public media have a tendency to give more
coverage to Christian churches (Catholic and Protestant), with more extensive
coverage of their holy days, than to other religions. It was also noted that the
media are ignorant of religions other than Christianity.

98

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER MOZAMBIQUE 2011

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