SECTOR 4 The ODEM receives complaints from ministers and citizens, 99% of which concern the print press. All decisions taken by the ODEM are made public via the press. The media publish rights of reply, but journalists still have difficulty in recognizing the authority of the ODEM. Recently the national radio even opened a news bulletin with a decision by the ODEM, making the organ more credible, in the view of a panellist. Moreover, certain advocates base their arguments on the decisions of the ODEM when pleading against or in defence of a journalist. Complaints may be lodged concurrently with the Court, the ODEM and the HAAC. In addition, a co-regulation project between the HAAC and the ODEM is underway. 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: 4.2 (2007=5.0; 2009=4.3; 2011=3.9) 4.3 Salary levels and general working conditions, including safety, for journalists and other media practitioners are adequate. A collective agreement which has been in force in Benin since 20 March 2008 and is applicable mainly to press staff has set the minimum salary of a journalist at 60,000 CFA francs (120 US dollars) and the maximum at 120,000 CFA francs (240 US dollars). But the provisions of the agreement are not observed by employers. In practice the salaries of reporters and journalists are derisory and average around 25,000 CFA francs (50 US dollars) in most media. In the public media, journalists’ salaries range from 80,000 to 400,000 CFA francs (160 to 800 US dollars). Generally speaking, living conditions of journalists are difficult on account of their very low salary level. This precarious situation drives journalists to accepting what the panellists called per diems. Within a radius of two kilometres it is possible for a reporter to receive 20,000 CFA francs (40 US dollars) a day for expenses, in the 100 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER BENIN 2014