Namibian media environment 2010

Robin Tyson

Lecturer: Media Studies

University of Namibia

Population 2 million

• Windhoek: 350 000

• Large country – small, scattered population

Diverse population

• 10 languages

• Official language English

• Rich/Poor divide

Diverse print media

• Independent (and free tabloids)

• State

• Party

Diverse electronic media

• Public (NBC)

• Commercial

• Community

NAMIBIAN MEDIA OWNERSHIP

Print media - Daily newspapers

Allgemeine Zeitung – DMH group – Weekdays – N$3.00 - German

www.az.com.na

The Namibian – Free Press of Namibia – Weekdays – N$3.00 – English/Oshiwambo

www.namibian.com.na

Die Republikein – DMH Group – Weekdays – N$3.00 – Afrikaans/English

www.republikein.com.na

New Era – Ministry of Information and Broadcasting – Weekdays – N$3.00 – English and all other Namibian languages.

www.newera.com.na

Print: Weekly newspapers

Informanté – Trustco Group – Thursdays - free

www.informante.web.na

Namibia Economist – Weekly – Daniel Steinmann – N$3.00

www.economist.com.na

• Namibia Sun (DMH group) – Thursdays – N$2.00 - English

• Windhoek Observer (Paragon Investments) – Lazarus Jacobs – Fridays – N$5.00 – English

Regional paper

• www.namibtimes.net

Namibian TV Stations

TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK

• Community licence

• Based in Swakopmund

• www.tbnnamibia.tv

One Africa Television

• Commercial Licence

• Windhoek and major towns

• www.oneafrica.tv

NBC TV

• Public Broadcaster (but Board appointed by Ministry of ICT)

• Government subsidy & advertising & annual licence fee

• Windhoek and major towns

• WWW.NBC.COM.NA

Electronic media: Public Radio

• NBC– National Radio– Afrikaans– Damara/Nama– German– Oshiwambo– Otjiherero– Rukwangali– Setswana– Silozi– !Ha (Tsumkwe)

Electronic media – Commercial Radio

Omulunga Radio

• www.omulunga.com

Fresh FM

• www.freshfm.com.na

Radio Wave

• www.radiowave.com.na

Radio Energy

• www.energy100fm.com

KOSMOS

Nam FM 99

• www.namfm99.com

Electronic media – community radio

BASE FM 106.2

• www.facebook.com

Channel 7 / Kanaal 7

• www.k7.com.na

Unam Radio 97.4

• www.unam.na

Political environment

• Tanzania

• “ “

• SWAPO dominance increasing

• No real differences in ideology

• Use of printed media (car dashboard scarves, party ‘trees’)

Politics and the media

• Fear of politics (commercial radios)

• Increased ruling party manipulation of the public broadcaster

• Increased government threats against the media

• Internet used to stir up calls to action