SECTOR 4 province protests, when journalists from the SABC were robbed. ‘This affects the media’s professionalism and the kinds of reporting that comes out.’ There was also concern that journalists had not been trained about digital safety and the fact that the Internet Protocol addresses of their mobile phones and other electronic devices could be tracked. ‘Around the world, journalists are being killed after they’ve been traced via their phones. Our journalists need to be conscious of the mobile apps they use and they should be trained on what security measures to take to better protect themselves.’ Salary levels for the private media were considered very low, with entry-level journalists earning 7,000 to 12,000 ZAR (480 to 800 USD) a month (gross), while interns might be paid only 1,500 to 2,000 ZAR (100 to 140 USD) at some media houses. The Mail & Guardian reportedly paid interns at least 12,000 ZAR (800 USD). The low salary levels were noted as a reason for many good journalists moving to better paying non-media jobs. ‘The quality and the remuneration definitely don’t match, while working conditions are also really poor in most newsrooms.’ ‘Journalism used to be a profession, but with such low salaries you can’t expect professional conduct.’ Very good journalists were said to be working at media houses ‘for virtually nothing’, just to have a job. While salaries were generally low, panellists said that at least South African journalists were still prepared to do their work without insisting on being paid (eg to attend press conferences). ‘In the Democratic Republic of Congo, you won’t even get the media to attend a book launch if they are not offered money. This is largely the situation across the continent, but fortunately not in South Africa.’ Some SABC studio staff were reportedly ‘double dipping’ and clocking up ‘more than 30 hours a day’ by doing work for multiple channels. Working conditions for SABC cameramen were not ideal. ‘You won’t find a black cameraman from the 1980s without a bullet wound. Conditions have changed a bit and now we breathe in teargas.’ It was also noted that while some SABC staff are overpaid, ‘some are not paid at all’. ‘In-between’ journalists, those who had not been professionally trained but were blogging or otherwise ostensibly working as reporters in the field (such as those who have been covering service-delivery protests in the country), were considered very vulnerable due to their lack of resources, institutional support and safety training. 52 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SOUTH AFRICA 2018