SECTOR 4 “...the Nigerian media is corrupt and its integrity is on trial.” for media houses to demand “fuel” or “transport money” to cover news events. Unable to pay salaries, some media owners encourage journalists to extort money from news sources in lieu of salaries. The situation is so bad that a panellist summed it thus: “the Nigerian media is corrupt and its integrity is on trial.” While this is a true picture of the level of corruption within media circles, panellists were also quick to point out that this is a reflection of a vice that has eaten deep into the much larger Nigerian society, where people have generally developed a taste for a life of opulence, and are ready to do just anything to attain it. There are a few exceptions to the rule, however, and a handful of journalists are well-known to be incorruptible. 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: 1.9 (2008 = n/a) 4.8 Salary levels and general working conditions for journalists and other media practitioners are adequate. Across the industry, working conditions for Nigerian journalists and other media professionals are poor. Salaries are low, irregular and in some cases, inexistent. This is not only true of private media organisations. Even journalists of state-owned media are underpaid and complain of a lack of career prospects. Many workers in the state-media are also recruited as casual staff and work under even more pathetic conditions. Because of large variations, it is difficult to know what the average pay across the industry is. Entry level salaries range from about N23 254 (US $150) for state media to about N 46 509 (US $300) for the private media. 52 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER NIGERIA 2011