SECTOR 3 “In this policy, there is a general hierarchy of news stories on SBIS. Stories about the king are at the top, then the queen mother, followed by the prime minister and then cabinet ministers. In fact any programme can be stopped with no notice to broadcast, for example, the king’s speech.” 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: 1.2 (2005: n/a; 2007: n/a; 2009: n/a; 2011: n/a) 3.6 The state/public broadcaster is adequately funded in a manner that protects it from political interference through its budget and from commercial pressure. State radio, through the two SBIS channels, receives its budget through the ICT Ministry. The amount that it receives is not public knowledge. As such, panellists could not comment on whether it was adequately funded, although they were adamant that it was influenced by political pressure because it falls directly under the ICT ministry and thus must toe the government line. SBIS staff are employed through the Civil Service Commission as civil servants. When government salaries are upgraded, SBIS staff benefit as well. The employment processes at SBIS are not considered to be transparent, as “most of the posts are not even advertised”. “Part of the problem with state broadcasting is that most of its funding comes from the state, so there is no independence and there is definitely political pressure.” State television’s Swazi TV is largely funded by the state as well, and as with radio, the amount funded was not known to panellists. Members of the public are meant to pay TV licence fees of E180 ($18) a year, but this is not enforced and it is not known how much money the state recoups in licence fee payments. There have been incidents of door-to-door TV licence fee collectors being assaulted by members of the public and having dogs set on them. 52 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER Swaziland 2014