SECTOR 2

by Afonso Dhlakama, the leader of Renamo (deceased on 3 May 2018) to visit
Satunjira in Gorongosa, Sofala Province where he lived. Upon his return, the said
editorial director published a balanced article on what he had observed during
his visit and was exonerated a few days later. This scenario is aggravated by the
fact that managers of the public media are appointed to their posts without ever
undergoing a public tender.

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:
Score of previous years:

✓

✓✓

✓✓

✓✓✓✓✓✓

1.2
2005=1.3; 2007=1.1; 2009=1.6; 2011=1.5; 2014=1.9

2.4 Transparency of ownership of media houses in
print/broadcasting is guaranteed by law and
enforced
It is important to know who the owner of a media entity is in as far as it helps
the reader, the listener and the viewer better understand the information being
broadcast. It is thus not a coincidence that even if a media corporation is a
shareholding society, there still is a legal obligation for all of its shares to be
registered (Article 6, nº 7 of the Press Law). Thus, transparency of ownership
of written and broadcast media outlets is protected and guaranteed by law in
Mozambique. As a matter of fact, property transparency aims at protecting the
diversity of the media.
However, while the transparency of the media ownership regime is formally
protected and guaranteed by law, panellists identified de facto problems in
accessing information on the identities of the owners of media companies,
which is often a source of speculation in the Mozambican public. The media
bodies themselves do not take charge of proactively publicising this information
and the same can be said for GABINFO – who never publicise it. When the
latter publishes advertisements in the media, these normally aim to summon the
owners of the media companies (never identified) to provide information proving
the existence of the media body, its address etc.
Therefore, it was concluded by the panel that from a formal point of view, the
transparency of the property regime of the media is guaranteed, but does not
necessarily materialise.

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AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER MOZAMBIQUE 2018

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