SECTOR 2

2.5
Adequate competition legislation/regulation
seeks to prevent media concentration and monopolies.
There is no legislation that restricts monopolies and cross media ownership. Both
the government and, to some extent, the churches have media monopolies.

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: 			

1.0 (2008 = 1.5 ; 2006 = 1.1)

2.6
Government promotes a diverse media
landscape with economically viable and independent
media outlets.
The government has introduced a Universal Access Fund (UAF) and, although
this is intended primarily for telecommunications, some of the panellists felt that
the 2008 Communications Policy implies that it may apply to broadcasters in the
future.
In the meantime, private broadcasters have to grapple with the high cost of using
the government’s transmitter network, with transmitter rental and license fees
costing a private radio station around M46 000 per year. Publishers are offered
tax concessions on newsprint, ink and equipment. The ruling party was donated
a printing press, but could not afford to pay the import duties. As far as panellists
were aware, the press is still impounded at the border.

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AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER LESOTHO 2010

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