ADVERTISING & MEDIA

ADVERTISING & MEDIA 2024-03-09T09:16:41+00:00

Despite its small population, Namibia has a diverse media landscape served by public, commercial and community media houses that operate in an environment free of statutory control. Freedom of the press and other media is enshrined in Article 21 (1) (a) of the Namibian Constitution.

Namibia regained its top spot for press freedom in Africa with a ranking of 22 out of 180 countries on the 2023 Word Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders. The index aims to compare the level of press freedom enjoyed by journalists and the media in 180 countries.

South Africa was placed second in Africa with a ranking of 25 and Cape Verde third with a ranking of 33. Seychelles, which took top spot in Africa in 2022 with a ranking of 13, dropped to fourth place in Africa with a ranking of 34 on the 2023 index.

Namibia’s global ranking dropped from 18 in 2022 (81.84) to 22 in 2023 (80.91) but it is still higher than that of the United Kingdom (26), France (24), Belgium (31) and the United States of America (45). Norway was ranked first for the seventh consecutive year with a global score of 95.18.

Annual media consumption in Namibia is measured by MediaMetrics. The graph to the right depicts the results of the survey conducted in 2022, indicating that the most preferred media consumption medium firmly remains radio (1,053,667 listeners).

Source: Mediametrics, Copyright Vision Africa 2022, We are social, Datareportal Digital in Namibia 2022 

Radio listenership was followed by television (908,849) in second position. Social media (760,520) was ranked as the third most preferred medium for media consumption, with the internet coming in at fourth (687,562).

RADIO AND TELEVISION

The state-owned Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) dominates the broadcasting media in terms of its radio and television footprint and audience. Radio broadcasts are provided by National FM, which broadcasts in English and nine additional language services. The corporation was allocated N$310 million for the 2023/24 financial year for operational costs while a further N$82 million was made available for its development budget to upgrade remote rural broadcast networks and replace dilapidated studios and equipment.

Listeners, however, have a choice of over 30 commercial and community radio stations licensed by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN). These stations cater for a wide range of audiences with content ranging from music, entertainment and news to current affairs, religious and community broadcasts. Four of the largest commercial stations, Radiowave, Omulunga Radio, Fresh FM and NOVA 103.5 are owned and operated by Future Media.

Future Media and TribeFire Studios announced in December 2022 that the two companies have agreed to merge, subject to regulatory approval. The merger, if approved by CRAN, will bring OneAfrica and 99FM under the same roof as Future Media’s brands, namely Radiowave, Fresh FM, NOVA 103.5 and Omulunga Radio.

NBC has an extensive reach with its three television channels, namely NBC 1 (news and current affairs), NBC 2 (international news) and NBC 3 (movies). Viewers also have a choice of three private television broadcasters. OneAfrica Television and Network Television (NTV) are broadcasted on DStv and GOtv. MultiChoice Namibia offers two pay TV services: DStv, a digital satellite service and GOtv, a digital terrestrial service providing affordable family entertainment.

PRINT MEDIA 

The print media continues to be under severe pressure from price increases in printing paper which nearly doubled in a year, steep fuel price increases, a drop in advertising revenue and declining circulation. As a result, the country’s largest media house, Namibia Media Holdings, increased the cover prices of the three main newspapers in its stable by N$2.00 in August 2022. The Namibian, which last increased its cover price to N$5.00 in November 2019, has retained its cover price at N$5.00. 

Print newspapers have, however, shown great resilience and readers have a choice of print editions of two privately owned English dailies (The Namibian and the Namibian Sun), one Afrikaans daily (Republikein) and one German daily (Allgemeine Zeitung). There are also two English weekly newspapers: the Namib Times, a community newspaper published for the central coastal region, and Confidante. In addition to print editions, these newspapers have also increasingly relied on social media platforms and online editions to disseminate news to their readers. Four newspapers, Informante, the Windhoek Observer, the Namibia Economist and The Villager are only available online or on social media platforms.

The state-owned media enterprises continue to enjoy government subsidies to sustain their operations. The subsidy to New Era Publication Corporation, the publisher of the English daily New Era, was increased from N$10 million to N$27 million, while the subsidy to NAMPA, the government-owned news agency, nearly doubled to N$27.5 million for the 2023/24 financial year.

ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT

The Access to Information Act was gazetted on 28 December 2022, but is yet to become operational. The act provides for an enforceable right to information held by a public or a private entity if the information may assist in the exercise or protection of any fundamental human right or freedom. It also sets out instances in which public and private entities are permitted to refuse access to information requests under specific categories of justification.

The act requires the president to appoint “an independent and impartial person as Information Commissioner to promote, monitor and protect the right of access to information in Namibia”. An amount of N$20 million has been allocated in the government’s 2023/24 budget for the establishment of the Information Commissioner’s Office to prepare for the full implementation of the act.

ADVERTISING

Namibia’s advertising industry is served by a small but competitive and creative industry. Services range from multi-platform campaigns, brand marketing and events to media planning covering traditional and online media. Advertising spending is split between electronic media (radio and television), print media, online and social media, as well as outdoor advertising. The industry has, however, been hit hard by the declining circulation of print newspapers and the downturn in the economy.

VITAL CONTACTS

Editors Forum of Namibia

P O Box 26463, Windhoek
Tel: +264 81 338 4610
efnamibia.org

Film Makers Association

P O Box 40731, Windhoek
Tel: +264 63 265 314

NAMPA – Namibia Press Agency

P O Box 26815, Windhoek
nampa.org

NBC – Namibia Broadcasting
Corporation

P O Box 321, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 291 3224
nbc.na

Namibia Film Commission

P O Box 41807, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 381 900

Namibia Media Holding

P O Box 3436, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 297 2000
nmh.com.na

Media Institute of Southern
Africa Regional Secretariat

Private Bag 13386, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 283 2665
misa.org

NEWSPAPERS

Allgemeine Zeitung

P O Box 3436, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 297 2300
az.com.na

Informanté

P O Box 3436, Eros
Tel: +264 61 275 4363
informante.web.na

Namib Times

P O Box 706, Walvis Bay
Tel: Walvis Bay: +264 64 205 854
Swakopmund: +264 64 461 866
namibtimes.net

Namibia Economist

P O Box 49, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 221 925

New Era

Private Bag 13364, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 208 0800
neweralive.na

Republikein

P O Box 3436, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 297 2000
republikein.com.na

The Confidente

P O Box 5033, Ausspannplatz
Tel: +264 61 246 136
confidentenamibia.com

The Namibian

P O Box 20783, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 279 600
namibian.com.na

The Namibian Sun

P O Box 86829, Eros
namibiansun.com

The Villager

Tel: +264 83 288 8400
thevillager.com.na

Windhoek Observer

P O Box 2255, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 411 800
obsever.com.na

RADIO STATIONS

99FM

P O Box 21593, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 383 450
99fm.com.na

Base FM

P O Box 70448, Windhoek
basefm.com

Caprivi News

Tel: +264 66 253 162
caprivivision.com

Channel 7 / Kanaal 7

P O Box 20500, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 420 850
k7.com.na

Energy 100FM

P O Box 676, Windhoek
energy100.com

Fresh FM

Tel: +264 83 000 1029
freshfm.com.na

Hitradio Namibia

P O Box 11025, Windhoek
Tel: +264 85 344 4111
hitradio.com.na

Katutura Community Radio

P O Box 74088, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 263 729

Kosmos 94.1

P O Box 9639, Eros
Tel: +264 61 255 985
kosmos.com.na

Namibia Community Radio
Network

Tel: +264 61 236 069

NBC RADIO

P O Box 321, Windhoek
nbc.na

– NBC Afrikaans Radio

Tel: +264 61 291 2007 / 8

– NBC German Radio

Tel: +264 61 291 2330

– NBC National Radio and
Rukavango Radio

Tel: +264 61 291 2003

– NBC Oshiwambo Radio

Tel: +264 65 220 451

– NBC Otjiherero Radio

Tel: +264 61 291 2457

– NBC Tswana Radio and Lazi Radio

Tel: +264 81 669 1668

Omulunga Radio

P O Box 40789, Windhoek
omulunga.com.na

Radio Antenna Namibia

P O Box 11849, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 225 182

Ecclesia

P O Box 11525, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 259 639
radioecclesia.org

Radio Kudu

P O Box 5369, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 242 350

Radio Live (Community Radio
Rehoboth)

P O Box 1426, Rehoboth
Tel: +264 62 525 421

Radio Wave

P O Box 9953, Windhoek
Tel: +264 83 000 1000
radiowave.com.na

UNAM Radio

Private Bag 13301, Windhoek
unam.edu.na

TELEVISION STATIONS

NBC Television – Namibia
Broadcasting Corporation

P O Box 321, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 291 2100
nbc.na

One Africa Television

P O Box 21593, Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 383 450
oneafrica.tv