SECTOR 4 The practice has created a vicious circle: seeing the “advantages” that journalists derive from the existence of these envelopes, media owners refuse to revise their salaries. Journalists thus remain underpaid and media owners themselves participate in perpetuating media corruption. 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: 1.7 (2006 = n/a; 2008 = n/a) 4.8 Salary levels and general working conditions for journalists and other media practitioners are adequate. There is no common salary scale in the media industry and no collective bargaining agreement. In the private sector, media owners set their own salaries, taking into account the seniority of the employee. Starting salaries in the television subsector can reach 200,000 MGA (94 USD). However, for radio stations, wages are significantly lower: in some private radio stations, journalists earn 80,000 to 100,000 MGA (38 to 47 USD) a month. Journalists in the print media are generally better paid. Salary levels are also dependent on the qualifications of the journalist and not on their ability or the results achieved. This creates a certain frustration in the trade, because those with lesser formal qualifications are not necessarily less professional or good at their jobs. Another bone of contention is that programme hosts and producers receive two to five times more than journalists. There are a number of media outlets that pay their journalists infrequently, if at all. They also do not always take into account the cost of transport or communication or pay for overtime. Some editors, though, provide journalists with telephones and a credit limit for communication costs. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER MADAGASCAR 2010 121