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: 2.6 (2005: 2.3; 2007: 2.1; 2009: 2.7; 2011: 3.6) 2.6 Government promotes a diverse media landscape with economically sustainable and independent media outlets. On the one hand, Namibia has a diverse media landscape with various media outlets relative to the size of the population. In that regard the government has enabled a diverse media landscape. On the other hand, however, there is a lack of diversity of ownership. Considering that diversity of ownership can influence the diversity of voices and opinions being heard, the tendency towards monopolies threatens diversity. Media houses are owned primarily by (male) elites, and private radio stations for instance, which mostly focus on music, remain in white male hands. “The government has not promoted diverse ownership”, explained one panellist. There are no tax incentives or initiatives that would actively encourage diverse ownership or protect smaller media houses. On the contrary, the government only advertises tenders in the New Era, for example, thus using taxpayers money to support only one particular newspaper with such advertising. Panellists agreed that there is a general perception that “There is a thin line between the ruling party and government”, and panellists noted that “Even if the other media outlets do not belong to government directly, some belong to (supposed) [SWAPO] comrades”, thereby impacting diversity in voice. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER NAMIBIA 2015 35