Freedom of the Press 2008 - Namibia

Status: Free
Legal Environment: 8 (of 30)
Political Environment: 10 (of 40)
Economic Environment: 12 (of 30)
Total Score: 30 (of 100)
(Lower scores = freer)

Namibia's press is generally considered to be one of the freest on the continent. The constitution guarantees freedom of speech and of the press, and the government generally respects these rights in practice. Independent media routinely criticize the government, though government pressure has led to some self-censorship. The 1999 Freedom of Information Act was put into effect only in 2005.

In recent years, the most serious media restrictions in Namibia have been isolated incidents reflecting the government's sensitivity to criticism. A government ban on advertisements in the independent daily The Namibian, in place since March 2001, persists to date. In 2006, Sam Nujoma – former president and head of the ruling South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) – initiated a N$5 million (approximately US$650,000) defamation suit against The Namibian after an August 2005 story implicated Nujoma in a corruption scandal. In February 2007, a parliamentary debate saw a number of SWAPO MPs call segments of the independent media "unpatriotic" and "disrespectful" toward SWAPO leaders, including Nujoma.

Eight newspapers are in circulation, 6 of which are privately owned. There are at least 11 private radio stations and 2 private television stations that broadcast in English and German, and a satellite television service broadcasts CNN, the BBC, and a range of South African and international news and entertainment programs. Still, the state-run Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) – including one television station and nine radio stations – dominates broadcast media. Reporters for state-run media have been subjected to indirect and direct pressure to avoid reporting on controversial topics. While many journalists insist that the state-run enjoys complete freedom to criticize the government, others believe that it is biased toward the ruling party. In 2007, an NBC plan to change the format of popular call-in shows from open to pre-determined topics was torpedoed after public outcry. There are no government restrictions on the internet, but access is limited to less than 4 percent of the population owing to financial and infrastructure constraints.