Potential partners for funding

ADFF is advised to collaborate with local NGOs and ministries and to approach for funding: UN agencies, the European Union and international NGOs.

Film schools, training programmes

Lesotho’s background in media training is poor with the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology offering a diploma certificate in mass communications withnmost of the training done in-house or as short courses organised by groups such as MILES and CM Media.

Training needs are an area to which many in Lesotho are looking for support, in the following areas in particular: script development, production, film appreciation, mentorships and film production exchanges.

Comments from an internet user: “Lesotho background in media training has even become poorer as the media practitioners…are not given enough practices. We are taught to speak under the microphone but not to operate a radio station, we are taught to write news but not to practice this art of writing daily, as there is no school newspaper or any outlet whatsoever.

There is a television station and video cameras which we were only introduced to, and have not had hands on… Lesotho does not take MASS MEDIA SERIOUSLY”.

Business management, technical and journalism schools interested in being involved with this initiative

• Limkokwing University of Creative Technology
• Department of Mass Communication, National University of Lesotho

Festivals

• Sesotho Media & Development organised the Lesotho Film Festival for the first time in
• Smaller film festivals on specific topics are organised by Alliance Française, US Embassy and EU
• The capital Maseru has been visited by the Golden Lion Film Festival from

Professional, peer mentorship group: creative producers, line producers, directors, writers, editors

• No formal professional associations
• There is a need for a Producers Association to assist local producers to have a stronger position when negotiating with the Government and Lesotho

Camera, computer hardware, software and other tech-related companies in film

• Lesotho lacks resources to develop a film. Equipment is usually owned by independent producers or brought in from South Africa.
• Lesotho Television has equipment, although they don’t officially rent
• The Lesotho Council of Churches produces videos for the international and local
• MILES (the local chapter of MISA being called Media Institute of Lesotho) is funding the development of the Lesotho video industry, and it operates a video production unit for assisting members with technical support and training skills.

Sales companies, distributors advisory group

• Sesotho Media & Development shows films through the mobile cinema and at the Resource Centre through its film
• Lesotho has one Ster Kinekor Cinema at the Pioneer Mall in

Advocacy partners

Lesotho is one of 8 African countries included in the Media Institute of South Africa (MISA). The MISA implores journalists to fulfill the ‘watchdog role,’ stating that they “condemn” any act of violence or intimidation towards journalists. They advise member countries on creating/amending policies in regard to improving media freedom, applauding them as they make progress and critising failures to more forward. They attempt to increase and improve communication between the Government and media policy lobbyists as a part of their efforts to “repeal repressive laws that infringe on media freedom” and “enhance access to information and freedom of expression”. (Gondwe, 2012)

The organisation emphasises that freedom of information should be a right of all citizens not just the media and state, “We will continue to engage governments and relevant stakeholders as we continue to advance an appreciation that the right to freedom of expression is central to democracy and sustainable development”. (Gondwe, 2012)

MISA Lesotho has continued to run the Speak Out and ASK campaigns, which among other things, has led to the tabling before Parliament of the Access and Receipt of Information draft bill of 2000. It is now incumbent upon the national chapter, alongside its cooperating partners, to bring before MPs the necessary amendments to the bill in question. The national chapter is also running the campaign for the transformation of state media into public service broadcasters and has linked up with MPs recognised as sympathetic to the cause of media freedom and freedom of expression to bring on board the necessary amendments to the Lesotho Broadcasting Corporation bill, which the government has tabled before Parliament, but which does not conform to the internationally recognised norms of public service broadcasting such as the African Charter on Broadcasting, the SADC Declaration on ICTs, the SADC Protocol on Culture, Information and Sports, the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa, as adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, etc.

MISA commissioned an audit of media law in 2002/2003 which identified laws that affected media laws. It brought to attention that Lesotho should have an institutional framework to which the media in the country operates, enhancing professionalism, press freedom and the freedom of expression.

Members of Sesotho Media & Development have been invited to People2People Documentary Conference.

Local filmmakers (Some have been attending film festivals abroad, especially in South Africa.)

Existing documentary and news archives

• Lesotho Television has its own news
• Sesotho Media & Development has a library of films produced over the course more than 20

All forms of distribution, including broadcast, theatrical, internet, mobile TV, telecoms/mobile phone, mobile cinema, film/video clubs, etc.

• Lesotho has one Ster Kinekor cinema in the capital Maseru.
• Lesotho has one state-owned TV station, Lesotho TV (LTV). Access to LTV is very For every 1000 people in the country, there are 16 television sets and 53 radios. Next to broadcast local content, the TV station airs BBC news. The television network is available from 11.30 am to 10 pm.
• There are a few privately-owned television broadcasting services available in The government controls most of its private broadcast media and satellite TV subscription services available. There are 3 television channels available to the viewers in Lesotho: MMDS Network, TBN and Africa Pay TV.
• Sesotho Media & Development has a mobile cinema and Resource Centre with film
• Several NGOs have begun to use films in their

Educational and non-profit distributors

• Sesotho Media & Development (Educational and Non-profit) runs mobile screenings, using both halls and outdoor screening venues.
• Lesotho Council of Churches owns a mobile video outfit.

Legal frameworks including any censorship issues

The government, which controls mass media, has paid lip service to the adoption of a national media policy for many years. Despite its suspension from 1970- 1986 and being rewritten in 1990, there has been very little change in the key elements of the Constitution. While freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association are proclaimed, Lesotho’s successions of governments have failed to articulate and adopt a national media policy, with one proposal shelved by the Ministry of Communication for years. Changes of governments have also meant that new governments ignore or reverse promises made by their predecessors.

Government’s control of media’s purpose is not only to ensure timely dissemination of government policy, but also censorship. Government and independent journalists have been attacked for reporting certain matters or for being in the wrong place. Government and security forces have successively suppressed free press, and shot, maimed, defamed and fired journalists for reporting anything other than official statements from the government. The media has not been cowed into silence and continues to publish amidst many obstacles and is enjoying some degree of press freedom. But overall, there is a great deal of self-censorship and restraint by government-owned media.

Lesotho is part of a number of independent African media associations, which stipulate rules, codes of conduct and best practice for journalists, and which seek to enhance press freedom.

The Lesotho government, that has committed itself to SADC Protocol on Culture, Information and Sport and Declarations on Information, Communications and Technology and Freedom of Expression, including the African Charter on Broadcasting, which presented to Parliament a draft Lesotho Broadcasting Corporation Bill in 2004.

Though transformation of the state broadcaster seems to be a non-starter, there has been a significant change as far as proliferation of private radio stations is concerned. Between 1993 and 2004 five private and one Christian radio station were opened. The appearance of these radio stations is a result of the enactment of the Lesotho Telecommunications Authority Act of 2000.

The LCA (Lesotho Communications Authority, formerly the Lesotho Telecommunications Authority) is an independent statutory body “with a mandate of regulating the communications sector in Lesotho” (Lesotho Communication Authority Website). In 1999, the LCA successfully ushered in the Lesotho Telecommunications Policy. This was the first major policy that affected the media communications landscape. It was then followed by the ICT policy in 2005 and more recently the communications Act in 2012.

Telecommunications, broadcasting radio frequency and postal services are the sectors that LCA regulate. The statutory body issues licenses to operators, promotes fair competition, approves tariffs, manages the radio frequency spectrum and approves terminal equipment with the objective to empower and protect consumers. LCAs goals are to transform the monopolistic telecommunications market into a competitive one and continue to promote the flow of information to all Basotho, including low-income earners and people in rural areas. The LCA promotes competitive conduct in the telecommunications, broadcasting and postal sectors and reviews mergers involving licenses, as there is no national competition authority. (Wade Publications, 2011)

Basotho were praised as their new coalition Government plans to pass a Media Policy and Access to information Legislation as well as agrees to sign the African Platform on Access to Information Declaration. The Lesotho Government, however, has been critised for being slow in the transition from state to private broadcasting and publicly funding editorial independence.

In the early 2000s the government drafted the ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) policy which would encompass a media policy for both electronic and print media. MISA Lesotho expressed apprehension towards the process. MISA cited that the policy concerned itself with just ‘technology’ and did not necessarily account for how the inception of such technologies, strategies, policies and institutional mechanisms would affect freedom of speech or the freedom of access and information. Lesotho adopted the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights wherein any regulatory framework or legislation had to abide by these international instruments which also encroach on the general practice of media. Lesotho’s constitution guarantees fundamental human rights and the freedom of speech but has no specific mention regarding media freedom. It does however suggest that, through a new clause in the constitution that mentions media freedom and the freedom of expression, profits could be obtained. Case law points in other jurisdictions however, highlights this as an inadequacy, being crucial to determinants that involve the freedom of media to publish, obstructing individual freedom of expression.

Currently under the ICT policy Lesotho is working on initiatives to foster the development in the broadcasting sector. These include:

• Establishment of a clear legal framework for the sector through the Communications Act
• Corporatisation of the Lesotho National Broadcasting Service
• Deployment of transmission infrastructure throughout the country
• Adoption of a transparent, non-discriminatory regime for the regulation of content
• Promotion of internet-based ‘New Media’ services

There is a lack of protection for journalists.

Lesotho government controls the media to ensure censorship. Government and independent journalists have been attacked due to reporting certain matters or for being in the ‘wrong’ place. The MISA has also reported several physical attacks as well as intimidation of journalists in recent times (Gondwe, 2012). Government and security forces have successively suppressed free press, and shot, maimed, defamed and fired journalists for reporting anything other than official statements from the government.

Journalists or news organisations may appeal to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) through local and foreign communicators during times of media related crises. This could include any act to suppress or intimidate those in the media industry. Crises may involve abduction, physical attacks, censorship, exiling, harassment, murder, unjust imprisonment, legal action, threats or missing persons. CPJ may choose to notify other relevant organisations of such freedom violations, such as government agencies, human rights groups and other news organisations. (CPJ, 2012)

Audience cultivation strategies including publicity/ PR strategy

Sesotho Media & Development through its mobile cinema and Resource Centre

Revenue strategies, including advertising, sponsorship, footage licensing, partnerships with news organisations

Most of these are not possible or existent in Lesotho.

Study of rights issues for distribution both broadcast and online

This is possible but, as piracy is widespread, it will be necessary to implement, in parallel, a campaign to raise awareness against piracy among the general public and government officials.

Options and best practices for dealing with piracy

Piracy is very big in Lesotho. It can be dealt with by proper law enforcement as well as legal distribution channels.

Possible creation of online film library and/or channel to distribute films supported by ADFF and others

A dedicated channel is a good idea. However online viewing and downloading is difficult or impossible in Lesotho, due to bad and expensive internet connections.

In 2010, there were approximately 83, 812 internet users in Lesotho, with a population of approximately 2,193,843.

Social movements, civil society groups and other partners

With regard to transparency, access to information, although it is a fundamental human right for all Basotho, loopholes in the country’s legal framework on financial management, poor transmission of information and poor coordination of institutions involved in financial management constrain access. In addition to this, Civil Society Organisations and the private sector in Lesotho are weak and hardly have the capacity to engage government on its programmes and intentions.

The civil society of Lesotho is growing and is encouraged to continue interacting with government and development partners for the improvement of other people’s lives, especially those who are hard to reach.

In Lesotho, civil society is still a fledgling sector of society, largely uncoordinated and without a united focus. To date, Civil Society Organisations have focused largely on service-delivery, with some limited advocacy initiatives. However, despite the contributions to poverty alleviation through service delivery, CSOs have received little recognition from government for their role in this regard, and limited financial support. This, compounded with other socio-political factors, has resulted in a current situation of civil society and government operating in relative isolation from each other.

Lesotho’s political conflict is underpinned by structural problems that will continue to impact on the country’s stability for as long as they are not adequately addressed. The problems intersect with sharp internal social and political divisions. The net result, at best, is a seriously fragmented response to the daunting challenges faced by the country. However, Lesotho society is characterised by many active and committed civil society actors. Recently concluded agreements and the preference for civil society actors to act as facilitation agents are encouraging.

AIDS constitutes an alarming threat to Lesotho and its people. Reliable statistics are not available, but estimates put the current national rate of infection at between 25% and 30%. The biggest challenge remains the establishment of national networks and civil society organisations on HIV/AIDS, most importantly among people living with HIV/AIDS and within the NGO network.

Lesotho has a variety of non-governmental organisations working on issues of human rights and related fields (e.g. Lesotho Council of NGOs, Women and Law in Southern Africa Research Trust, Lesotho National Council of Women, Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).

There are NGOs working with film, like Sesotho Media and Mantsopa Communications.

The newspaper called “Lesotho” is the only national and government newspaper of the country; there are other kinds of foreign newspapers circulated across Lesotho (Maps of World).

Lesotho newspapers deal with several types of news. They cover all aspects of interest to citizens. Some newspapers also have online editions.

The Public Eye is a print and online newspaper which is circulated in South Africa and Lesotho. According to The Public Eye’s website (2012), its objectives are, among others, to serve as an independent forum for opinion-sharing, to report on development news successes and failures, and to act as a watchdog on government and public institutions.

The Lesotho Times is a newspaper with the tagline, “News without Fear or Favour”. There is also space on the online version for readers to comment and look for employment.

Political sensitivities

Lesotho’s political rights rating declined from 2 to 3 and its status from Free to Partly Free due to unresolved disputes over legislative seats from the 2007 and 2008 elections and a breakdown in internationally mediated negotiations between the government and opposition.

The press’s growth and size are inhibited by Lesotho’s weakened infrastructure, dependence on South Africa (35 percent of male wage-earners work as miners), and a mostly rural population (agriculture caters for 57 percent of the domestic labor force, with 86 percent of the population as subsistence farmers) with a low per-capita income—factors relegating the purchase of newspapers, radios, television and the internet as unaffordable luxuries. The HIV/AIDS prevalence of 23 percent threatens life expectancy, population size and socioeconomic productivity, including media patronage.

Since attaining its independence from Britain in 1966, Lesotho has undergone more than one coup, and has been engulfed in several political mayhems resulting in killings, looting and property destruction involving the press, which is caught in a quagmire adversely affecting its quality and existence.

The attitude toward foreign media is a mixed bag with media associations having international links operating in Lesotho. They are: The National Union of Journalists and the Media Institute of South Africa (MISA, the local chapter being called Media Institute of Lesotho-MILES), News Share Foundation (a journalist cooperative), the Commonwealth Journalists Association, and the Adopt-A-Media Network.

Considering a history of government suppression, shootings and maiming of journalists, the media has not been silenced and continues to publish and enjoy some degree of freedom. However, there exists a persistent threat of an armed conflict with a Lesotho

Defense Force historically involved in domestic politics, and factional infighting in addition to the government feverishly suppressing a free press. Opposition in parliament may strengthen democracy’s weak roots in Lesotho by promoting a favorable press environment. MILES’ steadfast advocacy for constitutional reforms and a self-regulating media-driven body in opposition to government’s media-control legislation holds further promise for an improved free press.