SECTOR 3 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: 1.1 (2009: 1.1; 2007 and 2005: n/a) 3.7 The state/public broadcaster is adequately funded in a manner that protects it from arbitrary interference through its budget and from commercial pressure. SBIS radio is adequately funded to the extent that 67 per cent of the broadcaster’s capital projects have been approved in recent years, allowing SBIS to make “great progress in expanding transmission”. Programme production is also “fairly well funded” and the department was able to hire new reporters this year. On the other hand, Swazi TV staff may be paid well, but there is very little money with which to produce programmes. This year, the station only received government funding for wages, and nothing for programme production or for running the station. For this the station relies on income from advertisements. As a result, most locally produced TV programmes are produced through “barter deals”, whereby the station trades services in return for airtime. International programmes tend to be repeats of programming purchased many years ago, while religious (from the Trinity Broadcasting Network) and foreign news programmes provided free of charge are aired between 10pm and 6am each night. 48 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SWAZILAND 2011