SECTOR 2 newspapers had the highest share of readers. Magazine readership was found to be similarly healthy, with 80 per cent of respondents having read at least one magazine in the preceding three months. More than 50 magazine titles were listed as having been read. South African titles were found to be the most popular, with Drum having 50 per cent of the magazine market share, while the locally published The Nation commanded a respectable 12.5 per cent of magazine readership. Broadcasting Radio is the most accessible and affordable source of information for most people in Swaziland. There are two stations – the government-run Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Services (SBIS) and Voice of the Church (VOC), a private Christian radio station which is a local franchise of TransWorld Radio. SBIS with two channels – SBIS 1 (broadcasting in SiSwati) and SBIS 2 (English) - covers approximately 95 per cent of the country while VOC reaches about 65 per cent. VOC remains the only domestic radio alternative to the state-controlled SBIS stations. In 2009, government indicated that it would license one commercial and four community radio stations but this has come to nothing, with little explanation from the authorities why the long awaited deregulation process has stalled once more. State-controlled Swazi TV is still the country’s only free-to-air television channel after the privately owned Channel Swazi went off air in 2010 “for a forest of reasons”. The station was popular, particularly among younger, urban viewers, and its closure further reduced the diversity of the country’s media.4 The TV licence fee is E180 (US$ 26) per year. The South African satellite broadcaster Multichoice continues to be available as a subscription service. From August 2011, Swazi TV is due to be included in Multichoice’s bouquet of channels available to subscribers in Swaziland. The 2005 Swazi Media Audience Measurement Survey states that 92 per cent of Swazis have one or more radio sets in their household, while 86.5 per cent of respondents reported listening to radio once or several times a week. SBIS 1, which broadcasts in Siswati, had the highest number of listeners, with 75.8 per cent of respondents tuning in to the station each week, while 44.2 per cent listened to SBIS 2. According to the study, 37.5 per cent of respondents listened to VOC. Several South African radio stations, which reach into Swaziland, were also listened to, although their audience share was much smaller, the most popular 4 Shortly after the AMB panel meeting the Times of Swaziland reported that Channel Swazi was back on air, quoting the owner saying that the station was broadcasting from studios in Johannesburg/South Africa ‘Channel Swazi back on air, says Qhawe’, Times of Swaziland, July 12, 2011 (sourced from www.times.co.sz/ News/30476.html on July 22, 2011) AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SWAZILAND 2011 29