including the media. But in practice, newsprint and other materials necessary for the work of the media and newsrooms (cameras, video cameras, computers, etc) remain subject to taxes like any other imported products. Only a few media outfits close to the government benefit from this support. The voices of women and men are not equally represented in the media. Women are under-represented in media content. The Malagasy language (a national language spoken throughout the country) allows minorities to have equitable access to national media content. There is no particular discrimination in the media and equal opportunities are promoted. However, it is often difficult for minorities to work in the media in some regions because of stigma and marginalisation. All topics are covered and all social events are reported, however very few investigative reports are carried out due to the limited resources available to the media, caution on the part of journalists and the difficulty of accessing information. Private broadcasters offer quality programmes. The programmes are diverse, but they do not specifically serve the public interest: rather, they are aimed at satisfying the listeners and viewer’s requests. This encourages the emergence of programmes whose concept is copied from elsewhere. Production capacity is also lacking. The advertising market is not large enough to allow all media houses to be sustainable and profitable. A few major newspapers and stations capture most of the advertising market. Some are subsidised by their owners, sponsors or develop other activities. Due to the absence of a central advertising agency, there are no statistics available with regard to the volume of the advertising market. Business owners, particularly mobile telecommunications companies and food producers hold the majority of the advertising market. The government regularly places institutional adverts (calls for expressions of interest or tenders) in media outlets close to their circle. The broadcasting legislation of the Communication Code has not yet been implemented. The institutions and bodies provided for in this law have not yet been established. With no broadcasting regulatory body, the Ministry of Communication gives approval for the granting of licenses, although this is currently on hold. The ANRCM, in charge of regulating broadcasting, has been created by law but has not yet been set up. The Communication Act guarantees independence to ANRCM through the composition of its members. Some licenses are granted in the interest of notables and those with political, economic or religious power. The Madagascar Radio and Television Office (ORTM) is the public broadcaster that includes TVM (the national television) and RNM (the national radio). TVM and RNM have a common board of directors composed of civil servants representing ministries and chaired by the secretary general of the Ministry of Communication and Culture. This board is therefore not independent and the editorial independence of ORTM is not guaranteed by law. ORTM’s funding is not adequate as 30% of its operating budget comes from the government, and the 8 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER MADAGASCAR 2019