Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 3.3 1.6 Entry into and practice of the journalistic profession is legally unrestricted. Journalists are defined by article 54 of the Press Code act. In terms of this law “a journalist is any person whose main, regular and remunerated occupation is the seeking, gathering, selection, processing, publishing and presentation of information in one or several daily or periodical publications, in one or several audiovisual communication organisations, in one or several press agencies or in an information service”. According to article 55 of the Press and Communication Code this definition also includes those who work as part of an editorial team, but excludes PR agents and all those who make only occasional contributions. There is no law that would restrict entry into or practice of the journalistic profession. The system of registering publications by formal declaration cannot be regarded as a barrier to entry. The same applies to the press card introduced by Act ‹ 2002 – 027 of 25 September 2002. Possession of such a professional card is optional and the law is not yet in force in the absence of regulatory procedures for its implementation. In any case, with regard to legal definitions of who qualifies as a professional journalist or communication technician, the law refers back to the provisions of the Press Code. 88 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER TOGO 2010