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. The Media Council of Malawi (MCM), a self-regulatory body, has drawn up a code of conduct, to which most media in the country subscribe: radio, television and print, as well as state, commercial and community. Most media houses also have their own codes of conduct and in-house complaints procedures, overseen by the managing editor. As of August 2012, the MCM had been dormant for two years following financial difficulties. As a result, the MCM’s complaints and disciplinary procedures have been suspended, temporarily. Efforts are apparently underway to revive the media council once more. The MCM’s Ethics, Complaints and Disciplinary Committee, which is normally chaired by a retired judge, has in the past monitored media behaviour and dealt with complaints in this regard from members of the public, resulting in a published apology or retraction. In the past, only MBC radio has boycotted the complaints procedure, when it failed to attend an arbitration hearing. The MCM has dealt with only three complaints since it was reconstituted in 2008, all of which found in favour of the complainant. “This has been the cheapest and easiest form of settling disputes rather than going to the courts.” The biggest problem faced by the MCM is funding. While all members are meant to pay an annual membership fee, this is not sufficient to keep the council’s operations going. “The media council needs to cover the entire country, educating members of the public about our rules and responsibilities, as well as the public’s right to complain if they feel offended by what has been written or broadcast.” 52 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER MALAWI 2012