SECTOR 4

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The Federation of Trade Unions of Workers of Communication
(FESYTRAC)
Journalists for Peace Group
The Association of Newspaper Editors of Congo
The Congolese Media Observatory
The Congolese Association of Journalists and Editors
The Association of Reporters
The Press Resource Centre
The Association of National Language Journalists
The Network of Local and Community Radio Journalists

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:

3.9

4.5 Journalists and media houses have integrity and
are not corrupt.
Separate studies conducted by the country’s anti-corruption body in 2002
and 2010 showed that the media was the fifth most corrupt sector in Congo.
Journalists habitually demand and accept cash and material favours from news
sources. “Brown envelopes” are widespread and considered part of the common
practice in the journalism sector. Event organisers and news sources know
beforehand that journalists must go back with “transport fare” or what is widely
referred to in the industry as frais de déplacement18. Such fees range from CFAF
5000 (7, 60 Euro) upward. The minimum could be several times higher in the
evenings, weekends and if the journalist has to go to rural area.
Many in the industry do not see this practice as constituting corruption, and
consider it an acceptable practice. It is common for television and radio stations
to demand fees for an element of news to be aired. In the print sector, only a few
newspapers label paid content as adverts. But sometimes “the advertisers say
they don’t want the public to know a report was paid for and the newspaper is
forced to carry it as news���.
A report of the Congolese Media Observatory on the practice of journalism in
2009 pointed out that the practice was wrong and urged journalists to refrain

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AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO 2013

Select target paragraph3