SECTOR 4 4.4 Journalists and other media practitioners are organised in trade unions and/or professional associations, which effectively represent their interests. Private media practitioners in Tanzania do not belong to trade unions, although there is awareness among journalists that they may be exploited to a lesser degree if they had the support of a union. Those working for state media houses belong to the Research Academics and Allied Workers Union (RAAWU). The Trade Union for Journalists (TUJ) ceased to operate in 2011, after numerous attempts to revive it. State media professionals were not members of TUJ. “It was difficult to recruit members of the media, partly as a result of the attitudes towards such a union by owners of media houses. But mainly, because most journalists don’t have permanent contracts or job security, they are so busy hassling for their daily bread that they don’t have time to think about organising themselves.” The country’s media owners have since signed a code of conduct, according to which they are not allowed to restrict their staff from joining unions. Fresh attempts to revive the TUJ have recently begun with the writing of a new constitution. The Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA) recently held a meeting in Morogoro to this effect. “To become a recognised union, there need to be at least 500 members, something which the TUJ failed to achieve.” The Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) has stepped in and tried to resolve issues, which are not in its mandate, such as low pay and poor working conditions. Journalists do have the right to be protected by law through the Employment and Labour Relations Act of 2004, although this is rarely taken up. Other active media associations include the MCT; the Editors Forum, which was an MCT initiative; the Media Owners Association; and the Union of Tanzania Press Clubs. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER Tanzania 2015 61