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. Analysis: The Press and Journalist Act 2000 sets up a statutory Media Council. The membership of the council is diverse – lawyers, publishers, journalists, members of the general public (nominated by various interest groups), academics and government representatives, all of them appointed by the minister responsible for information. The Council’s functions are, among others: to regulate the conduct and promote good ethical standards and discipline of journalists; arbitrate disputes between the public and the media and between the state and the media; exercise disciplinary control over journalists, editors and publishers; promote the flow of information; and censor films, video tapes, plays and other related apparatuses for public consumption. The Act also provides for a Professional Code of Ethics. This was ‘borrowed’ in its entirety from a code of conduct previously developed by media organisations. The Council deals with complaints on alleged breaches of this code and could potentially be used to stifle the press as the Broadcasting Council does with the electronic media. From 2008 to 2009 the state referred to the Media Council a number of cases that were filed by the police, but the Council dismissed them on technical grounds. A few other cases were brought by government ministers or private individuals. Most disputes are still taken to the courts of law because they are more visible and able to award damages to winning complainants. Because the media are opposed to such statutory regulation, 42 media associations and institutions came together in February 2006 and formed the Independent Media Council of Uganda (IMCU).The IMCU is registered as a non-governmental organisation and non-profit company. It aims primarily to promote ethics in media and resolve disputes between media houses and the public. Its membership is made up of media houses and/or outlets, national professional journalists’ associations, journalists’ training institutions, press clubs or regional journalists’ associations, and any other media organisations whose activities contribute substantially to the objectives of the Council. A governing board, whose chairperson is elected by the 58 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER UGANDA 2010