43 SOUTHERN AFRICA PRESS FREEDOM REPORT 2019-2020 MEDIA SUSTAINABILITY Diverse, free and independent media is under severe threat as the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the financial viability of media outlets in the region. (68) Eswatini is struggling economically and many businesses are not doing so well. The media industry has not been spared. The bulk of advertising is taken by established media houses at the expense of smaller companies. Small publications like the weekly Independent News and the monthly magazine The Nation struggle to remain afloat because of scarce advertising. (69) references (42) MISA Swaziland. Swazi Media. Retrieved from https://misaswaziland.com/swazi-newspapers/ (43) Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) African Media Barometer Eswatini 2018. Retrieved from http:// library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/africa-media/16700.pdf (44) Constitution of Swaziland. Retrieved from https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Swaziland_2005.pdf?lang=en (45) Reporters Without Borders (2020). Eswatini. Retrieved from https://rsf.org/en/eswatini (46) Sachs et al. (2020). The Sustainable Development Goals and Covid-19. Sustainable Development Report 2020. Retrieved from https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/profiles/swz (47) Freedom House (2013, September). Swaziland: A failed feudal state. Retrieved from https:// freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/Swaziland-%20A%20Failed%20Feudal%20State%2019%20 September%202013.pdf (48) Human Rights Watch (2020). Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) Events of 2019. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2020/country-chapters/eswatini-formerly-swaziland (49) Transparency International (2019, January 29). Sub-Saharan Africa: undemocratic regimes undermine anti-corruption efforts. Retrieved from https://www.transparency.org/en/news/cpi2018-subsaharan-africa-regional-analysis (50) Committee to Protect Journalists. Swaziland. Retrieved from https://cpj.org/2014/02/attackson-the-press-in-2013-swaziland/ (51) Kemp, S. (2020, February 17). Digital 2020: Eswatini (Swaziland). Retrieved from https:// datareportal.com/reports/digital-2020-eswatini (52) African Media Barometer Eswatini 2018:19 In addition to the banking and telecommunication sectors, the Eswatini government is the biggest advertiser. Media practitioners say this often leads to self-censorship, with media houses preferring sustainability to impartial journalism. Media houses are also often accused of being in the pockets of powerful individuals as they seek to secure income that will help sustain them. (70) And because of poor working conditions across the media industry, journalists are accused of taking bribes from politicians and business people. (53) Retrieved from https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/1197011/download (54) Reporters Without Borders (2020). Eswatini. Retrieved from https://rsf.org/en/eswatini (55) Freedom House (2016). Freedom in the World 2016: Swaziland. Retrieved from https://www. ecoi.net/de/dokument/1396769.html (56) Freedom House (2020). Freedom in the World 2020: Eswatini. Retrieved from https://freedomhouse.org/country/eswatini/freedom-world/2020 (57) Central Bank of Eswatini v African Echo (Pty) Ltd (57/2019) [2019] SZHC 69 (10 April 2019). Retrieved from https://swazilii.org/sz/judgment/high-court/2019/69-0 (58) Hlatshwayo, V. (2011). The reality of media freedom in Swaziland under the new constitutional dispensation.. (59) Swazi Media Commentary (2020, October 22). Swaziland editor suspended after alleged link to political party opposing absolute monarch. Retrieved from https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/10/ swaziland-editor-suspender-after.html (60) Snaddon, B. (2020, May 21) Swati editors flee to safety in SA. Retrieved from https://mg.co.za/ africa/2020-05-21-swati-editors-flee-to-safety-in-sa/ (61) MISA Swaziland (2020). MISA Swaziland hosts Media Practitioners Covid-19 sensitization workshop. Retrieved from https://misaswaziland.com/2020/03/25/misa-swaziland-hosts-media-practitioners-covid-19-sensitization-workshop/ (62) Retrieved from https://rsf.org/en/eugene-dube (63) Powell, A., Moodley, D. (2020, April 13). Government of Tiny eSwatini Refutes Reports of King’s Illness. Retrieved from https://www.voanews.com/science-health/coronavirus-outbreak/gov- Note: this is a condensed version of the full country report, which can be accessed online. See also: — SDG 16 assessment and trend: major challenges remain; stagnating — Freedom House report — RSF World Press Freedom Index ranking ernment-tiny-eswatini-refutes-reports-kings-illness (64) The International Federation of Journalists (2020, August 21). Eswatini: Community radios denied broadcasting licenses over Covid-19 coverage. Retrieved from https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/ news/detail/category/press-releases/article/eswatini-community-radios-denied-broadcasting-licenses-over-covid-19-coverage.html (65) Hlatshwayo, V. (2020, August 19). Covid-19: eSwatini community broadcasters blocked from going on air in great time of need. Retrieved from https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/202008-19-covid-19-eswatini-community-broadcasters-blocked-from-going-on-air-in-great-time-of-need/ (66) Media Institute of Southern Africa (2016). Media Institute of Southern Africa Women to Watch. Retrieved from https://misa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/MISAs_W2W_2015_Emag.pdf (67) Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) African Media Barometer Eswatini 2018. Retrieved from http:// library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/africa-media/16700.pdf (68) AFEX (2020, June 23). Covid-19 accelerates media sustainability crisis in Southern Africa. Retrieved from https://ifex.org/covid-19-accelerates-media-sustainability-crisis-in-southern-africa/ (69) So this is Democracy? State of media freedom in Southern Africa, Swaziland National Overview.2016. (70) Ibid