52 Election dispute resolution mechanisms of international, regional and sub-regional human rights norms. ZMC can refuse to register or even suspend or cancel the registration of a newspaper on a wide variety of grounds.87 Since 2008, at least 2 daily newspapers – Newsday and Daily News were registered, together with some weeklies – Southern Eye and The Patriot. However the cost of these papers remains prohibitive and so effectively bars ordinary Zimbabweans from obtaining them and accessing alternative information which will allow them to vote in an informed manner for their candidate of choice in the elections. Electronic Broadcasting Services – Radio and television are important electronic communication mediums for political parties to disseminate manifestos or other policies to woo voters. Radio is capable of reaching large numbers of people, including people who are illiterate. According to independent media analyses conducted by the Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ), the ruling party continues ahead of the 31 July 2013 elections to monopolise and dominate electronic media. Information disseminated is one-sided, self-serving party propaganda. The ZANU PF part of the IG is fully cognisant of the power of radio, and has taken steps to ensure that it retains exclusive control over it. The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) has not been very willing to licence some radio stations. Regulation of broadcasting – A distinguishing feature of a democracy is the independence of regulatory bodies from the executive. The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) was reconstituted according to the amended Broadcasting Services Act, in which nine of the twelve members are appointed by the President after consultation with the Minister and Parliamentary Committee on Standing Rules and Orders.88 The weight that the President must attach to the consultation is not clear; he can even ignore it. Three members are appointed by the President from the list of six nominees provided by the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders, without consultation. The new provisions merely transfer the overall appointment role from the Minister to the President.89 In a democracy, such regulating bodies are usually appointed by multi-party parliamentary committees, preferably with the public playing a role in the nomination process; in Zimbabwe the process has been dominated by the ruling party, with no public participation at all. The BAZB administers the licensing régime for broadcasters.90 Registration challenges - VOX Media Productions (Pvt) Ltd t/a Radio VOP has been trying to get registered by BAZ for a number of years. It applied for a national commercial radio licence under the name and style of Voice of the People FM on 30 June 87 Even where a newspaper is controlled by Zimbabweans, ZMC still has wide powers over its registration or the cancellation of its registration. For example, ZMC can still refuse to register a newspaper if it has previously operated without being registered. (This was the main ground upon which the Daily News, previously Zimbabwe’s only non-government controlled daily paper and the biggest selling daily paper, was refused registration); All the powers indicated in the preceding text are provided for in sections 65 – 71 of AIPPA. 88 Section 4 of the Broadcasting Services Act as amended; see Statutory Instrument 7A / 2008. 89 As above. 90 It was amended by Act No. 19 of 2007, promulgated on 11 January 2008.