CHAPTER 4: AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER THEMATIC TRENDS: 2011-2021 through laws that promote the interception of digital media communication. Nonetheless, most countries have not actively restricted the establishment and operation of digital communication portals such as blogs. The subject of digital migration (shifting from broadcasting with analogue technologies to broadcasting with digital technologies), crucial to expanding citizen participation in public dialogue, is not consistently given attention across the countries covered by the AMBs referenced in this report. The significant recommendations regarding the state of the broadcasting sector on the continent focus on the need to promote the editorial independence of national broadcasters, the establishment of more effective, unified and functional regulatory mechanisms for the industry, and the provision of consistent training for broadcast journalists. 4.4 Government interference with regulatory institutions One way African governments exert influence over broadcast media (in particular) is by interfering with the sector’s regulatory structures. This is achieved through retaining control over the appointment of board "One way African governments exert influence over broadcast media (in particular) is by interfering with the sector’s regulatory structures." members and the centralisation of funding. The degree of power and the will to exert such control over broadcasting regulatory bodies differs between countries, but the chilling effect2 remains real to them all. For instance, on the one extreme, the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) consists mainly of the ruling party and former military members, which exposes the authority to political interference. Notably, as highlighted in the 2020 AMB for Zimbabwe, “the process of fairness and diversity in the issuing of licences rests with the BAZ, but the independence of the body is questionable”. In Ghana, the 2017 AMB highlights the fragmented regulatory framework for broadcasting in which the government retains influence through the National Communications Authority (NCA), which focuses on technical and licensing issues, as opposed to the National Media Commission, which is perceived as independent and focuses on media content. 2 16 The self-policing and acquiescence of regulatory bodies with political actors due to the latter’s influence. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER 11 YEARS IN REVIEW