SECTOR 4 4.10 Journalists and other media practitioners are organised in trade unions and/or professional associations. The panel noted that the country boasts a significant number of vibrant and dynamic professional media bodies. The most recent formation is “SOS Journalists in Danger”, set up in response to the large number of cases of harassment through court cases, of threats and of attacks that Togolese media practitioners have been exposed to over recent months. At its founding meeting on 1 September 2010, the association adopted as its goals the defense of media freedom, assistance to journalists in danger, the mobilisation of national and international bodies in support of media and journalists under threat and, finally, the coordination of activities in this regard. An employers’ umbrella body, the Conseil National des Patrons de Presse (CONAPP - national council of media owners) was established in December 2007. It is the result of the merger of four existing associations: the Conseil Togolais des Editeurs de Presse Privée (CTEP), the Organisation des Editeurs de Presses Indépendantes (OREPI), the Association Togolaise des Patrons de Presse (ATOPAP) and the Union des Radios Télévisions Libres du Togo (URATEL). Unlike the employers bodies which have come together mainly to facilitate negotiations on collective employment and wage agreements in the industry, the associations of journalists and communication technicians remain divided depending on whether their members work in the public or the private sector. The Union of Independent Journalists of Togo (UJIT), founded in 1993, gave itself the mandate to “defend the material and moral interests of journalists in the independent media and to fight for media freedom.” Media practitioners in the public sector have a choice between two professional bodies: SYNLICO and SAINT JOB. The associations were said to be working reasonably well, but falling short of the expectations of media professionals. According to one panelist, though, SAINT JOB was making a real impact. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER TOGO 2010 133