SECTOR 4 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: ✓✓ ✓ ✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓✓ 2.4 (2005 = n/a; 2007 = n/a; 2009 = 3.6; 2011 = 3.6; 2014 = 2.6) 4.6 Journalists and editors do not practise selfcensorship in the private broadcasting and print media. Self-censorship is prevalent in certain private media houses because of the lack of job security faced by journalists in these houses. Journalists are compromised and asked to report in a certain way for the benefit of commercial interests; this has led to the blurring of lines in the internal structure of media houses, due to reduced opportunities for employment. In cases where owners, publishers or marketers also function as editors and/ or reporters; self-censorship is more evident and preserving commercial interest becomes more integral than providing objective quality editorial content. Another relevant observation is that media houses, who regard themselves as alternative (ie not following the ruling party line), would hesitate in reporting a story that may negatively reflect on members of the opposition party. With a number of media houses being politically inclined and associating themselves with a party, there are presumably several outlets guilty of this type of censorship and biased reporting. An editor states that most cases of self-censorship are common at the level of reporters, where broadcast and print journalists censor themselves due to political affiliation, or because they are favoured with gifts and freebies [as discussed in the previous indicator]. 56 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER BOTSWANA 2018