SECTOR 4 The media practice high levels of professional standards. 4.1 The media follow voluntary codes of professional standards, which are enforced by self-regulatory bodies that deal with complaints from the public. In Mali, a well-known code of journalistic principles exists. Unfortunately, there are still many cases that illustrate the lack of respect by journalists and the media for ethics and this code specifically. «The attorney can find enough work just by paging through the newspapers every morning...» affects its credibility. As one panellist said: “The attorney can find enough work just by paging through the newspapers every morning...” This is as a result of instances involving breach of privacy, defamation, insults, extortion, among others, that citizens suffer at the hands of some irresponsible media practitioners. A self-regulatory body exists but it is currently not functioning and lacks funds to operate. The skills of the people who drive this body are questionable and this 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: 118 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER MALI 2010 1.7 (2008 = 2.0 ; 2006 = 1.7)