Namibia John Nakuta, a well-respected human rights lawyer and academic, as the new Media Ombudsman. Nakuta took over from Clement Daniels who had been appointed in 2009. Media Complaints and Media Appeals committees consisting of a diverse group of professionals to support the work of the Media Ombudsman’s office were also established. Social media had become the preferred source of news for many, which resulted in a decrease in newspaper sales. Print was trying to find ways to gain revenue from their online versions, but this was still in its infancy stages and it is not yet known if this would succeed in enhancing their financial sustainability. Through the formation of a strategic partnership with the Namibia Media Trust (NMT), the EFN launched a revised Code of Ethics and Conduct for Namibian print, broadcast and online media. The revised code was launched by President Hage Geingob at a belated celebration of World Press Freedom Day in Namibia on 10 May 2017. NMT Executive Chairperson Gwen Lister said the Code held the potential of breaking ground in Africa in terms of forming the basis of a unique form of co-regulation of the fourth estate, which had the legal backing of the law. Dani Booysen, the Secretary General of the EFN, added that the purpose of revamping the Code of Ethics was to reinforce effective complaint procedures and penalties, accentuate the protection of whistle-blowers and to address ethical considerations across print, broadcast and online media categories. The self-regulatory system is effective only when the public make use of the accountability measures in place. This includes direct communication with the media house in question or laying a complaint with the Media Ombudsman. On the occasion of WPFD 2017 the NMT issued a statement to say that the global outlook was depressing, and that “much more needs to be done to consolidate freedom of the media in many parts of the world, because without it, free expression was compromised too”. The NMT noted that the celebration of 3 May each year as WPFD had come in response to a call by African journalists who had gathered in the Namibian capital in 1991 to craft the historic Windhoek Declaration on a Free, Independent and Pluralistic Media. While Namibia remained first in Africa, according to the RSF, with an improved score, it had nevertheless slipped down in the rankings, from 17th in 2016 to 24th position in 2017. So This is Democracy? 2017 81