SECTOR 3 3.3 The body regulates broadcasting services and licences in the public interest and ensures fairness and a diversity of views broadly representing society at large. There is no evidence that the current broadcasting regulators, the SPTC and STA, act in the public interest and promote fairness and diversity in the broadcasting sector. Since they are not accountable to the public and are entirely controlled by government, they are neither obliged nor expected to act in the public interest. As explained in 3.1, the process to license more radio stations has stalled. 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: 1.0 (2009: 1.2; 2007: 1.0; 2005: 1.5) 3.4 The state/public broadcaster is accountable to the public through a board representative of society at large and selected in an independent, open and transparent manner. The state-run radio broadcaster, the Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Services (SBIS), is a department of the information ministry, while Swazi TV is governed by a board made up of the representatives of government, together with people appointed by the minister responsible for television. “Internal political battles seem to be stalling change,” In March 2010, Minister for Information, Communications and Technology, Nelsiwe Shongwe, told parliament that the Attorney-General was finalising the Public Broadcasting Bill, which would bring about the merger of the SBIS and Swazi TV into a single broadcaster. MPs urged him to table the bill in parliament within the coming six months. This did not happen. “Internal political battles seem to be stalling change,” said one panellist. In terms of the draft bill, the minister would appoint the board of the merged state broadcaster. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SWAZILAND 2011 45