Congolese media hardly cover economic and investigative topics. Media professionals mention the exorbitant costs these reports incur but also the inaccessibility of information and statistics on the economy. Nevertheless, the reality of partisan journalism remains prevalent: the dichotomy between media closely aligned to power and those known to be close to the opposition, imposes two versions of the news to the users who ultimately have to form their own opinion. Overall, media bodies practise self-censorship for a number of reasons. Some media owners tend to interfere – without restraint – in editorial independence. Another form of ethical digression expresses itself through a phenomenon referred to as “brown envelope journalism” some refer to it as “coupage” or “transport” (in French). This practise consists in “elating” information by means of a few bank notes. A campaign against this phenomenon, which can’t only be blamed on journalists, initiated by professionals of the corporation has been under way since 2005. Corruption, met with total impunity, is virtually systemic throughout society, reaching the highest echelons of the State. Recruitment conditions are, to a certain extent, one of the reasons for this precariousness. Generally, press bodies recruit reporters and journalists without offering them work contracts. Certain media bodies don’t pay a salary and by default, employees are owed two to three year’s salaries. Within the private media the collective bargaining agreement for journalists, which is in the process of being implemented, foresees a remuneration, which ranges between US$150 and US$540 a month but it is not being applied yet. With the new reforms public media suggest a basic salary ranging around US$230. Besides tertiary training structures for communication, such as the Institute for Information and Communication Sciences (IFASIC), there are also internal training structures such as the Congolese Audiovisual Institute (ICA) run by the RTNC and the ACP offers retraining courses. Media professionals organise themselves in associations and unions, which defend the freedom of and the interests of the media. 72 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER Democratic Republic of Congo