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: n/a; 2007: n/a; 2009: n/a; 2011: 1.8) 2.8 All media fairly represent the voices of society and its minorities in its ethnic, linguistic, religious diversity. Media do not fairly represent the variety of voices in society and the lack of diversity often reflects a lack of understanding in society. It was noted that “It is the responsibility of professionals to get their facts straight, but often coverage of minorities is less factual or fair, and more sensational. In media coverage on ethnic or linguistic minorities such as the San or Himba, for example, these groups are often perceived as ‘exotic’. 2014 saw broader engagement on the topic of sexual orientation in the media, but, again, as one panellist put it, “representation was questionable” and often journalists did not seriously engage with the topic. This mirrors the bias in society that journalists do not seem to question. Accordingly newspaper vendors would sell newspapers yelling: “Buy, there are homosexuals in there!” “...culture of fear comes with a culture of silence...” “We are set up as a secular state but the public and media pander towards convolution of state and religion”, was one remark offered on the topic. This influences the way media report (or fail to report) on issues. Sometimes the public and the media avoid taking a stand on issues,questioning situations, or even reporting about positions that might be considered ‘offensive’ to moral or religious norms and standards. A panellist argued that a “culture of fear comes with a culture of silence” on contentious issues. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER NAMIBIA 2015 37