SECTOR 1 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: 3.7 (2006: 3.3; 2008: 4.8; 2011: 3.6) 1.3 There are no laws or parts of laws restricting freedom of expression such as excessive official secret, libel acts, legal requirements that restrict the entry into the journalistic profession or laws that unreasonably interfere with the functions of media. Although criminal libel provisions in the Criminal Code of 1960 have been repealed, Section 208 of the code remains on the statutes. This section criminalises “any statement, rumour or report which is likely to cause fear and alarm to the public or to disturb public peace, knowing or having reason to believe that the statement, rumour or report is false”. Even with the various amendments to the criminal code since the repeal, this particular section has not been changed, and has been cause for concern. Generally, media practitioners in Ghana are not concerned about restrictions on how they practise their profession. Journalists in the local language and electronic media especially “act as though in a large measure, there were no laws on what they do, and they often get their owners into trouble. There is a long list of libel or defamation suits against different media.” Some media houses have been fined heavily for libel or defamation, but “the courts have a “liberal attitude in slapping fines on the media”. With Joy FM, for example, “a quantum of damages was being sought, but without a clear mathematical basis. The courts reduced it so much, and gave a damage that was so small, that this was challenged.” However, even when fines are given, these are often defied, and “the courts have admitted that if this were the norm, it would be an exercise in futility.” Some media houses that have suffered from libel or defamation suits have been affected in the way they work or publish. And some of the damages being sought 16 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER GHANA 2013