The extent to which state media in Swaziland is
censored to control people’s understanding of what is going on in the kingdom,
has been revealed by UNESCO.
The news agenda is manipulated in favour of absolute
monarch King Mswati III. No opposition to the government is allowed on the
airways and media practitioners in state-run media are civil servants first and
journalists second, it reported.
In Swaziland all radio stations except one that does
not report news is state-controlled. The largest of two TV stations in
Swaziland is also state-controlled.
The report, Assessment of Media Development inSwaziland, is the most comprehensive study of
journalism and development in Swaziland ever published.
The report stated, there is a ‘lack of editorial
independence in the state-controlled broadcast media’. It added, ‘Swazi TV and radio are effectively
departments of the civil service and government mouthpieces acting more as a
vehicle for development.
‘In the case of the SBIS, which operates the radio
station, the broadcast journalists are considered civil servants first and
journalists second. As they are employed as information officers, they are part
of the civil service and are thus expected to abide by the Government General
Orders.
‘As government information officers they are expected
to censor disruptive or critical information likely to compromise national
security and frustrate government’s realisation of socioeconomic development
goals, which clearly contravenes the spirit of editorial independence.
‘In addition, the ICT [Information, Communications and
Technology] Ministry has invoked the Public Service Announcement (PSA)
Guidelines to control the state broadcasters. These guidelines bar all Swazi
citizens, irrespective of their status, from airing their opinions on the radio
and television stations before their opinions have been cleared by their
chiefs. Thinly veiled as public announcement guidelines, the PSA guidelines
regulate all operations and activities of the state broadcasters.’
It said no PSA is allowed on air, ‘that is negative or
does not support Government’s agenda’.
UNESCO reported, ‘According to the Swaziland
Broadcasting and Information Services Code of Conduct and Operational
Procedures of 1987, all state events and occasions which involve the presence
of the King, Indlovukazi (Queen Mother) and Prime Minister shall receive
priority coverage.
‘Article 3 of the same code stipulates that SBIS is a
national radio station fully supported by the government and therefore
broadcasters must abide by the policies and should not allow their political
affiliations to intrude into broadcast messages.’
UNESCO reported this was contrary to international
standards on public service broadcasting, ‘which caters for all people
irrespective of their social or economic status in society. It provides
programming for everyone; be it the general public or minority audiences.’
Broadcasting, UNESCO reported, should be, ‘A meeting
place where all citizens are welcome and considered equals. It is an
information and education tool; accessible to all and meant for all, whatever
their social or economic status.’
See also
JOURNALISTS
SAY THEY ARE UNDER THREAT
SWAZI
BROADCASTING WILL NOT BE FREED
https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/swazi-broadcasting-will-not-be-freed.html
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