SECTOR 1 Finally, a professional journalist shall be recognized by a professional press card. During its latest deliberations, in 2008-2009, the joint committee that issues national professional identification cards issued 425 cards (356 to journalists and 69 to other professionals in the media sector). Prior to this, the committee last met in 2000-2001. 463 cards were distributed then. The committee was not functional between these two meetings despite the massive influx of new journalists. All of these measures, regarding the practice of the profession are not in the least considered as limiting factors or constraints. For members of the panel, they are positive measures initiated by professional organisations to organise and regulate the profession. Panel members were, on the contrary, satisfied with the fact that the law has honoured, in a timely manner, the commitment of journalists to clean up their guild. Besides, consultations between the public authorities and stakeholders in the media sector regarding the press card issuing committee are about to be concluded with the strengthening of safeguards against an excessive permeability of the frontiers of the journalistic trade. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country minimally meets aspects of the indicator. 3 Country meets many aspects of indicator but progress may be too recent to judge. 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator. 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator and has been doing so over time. Average score: 5.0 1.7 Confidential sources of information protected by law and/or the courts. are Article 28 of Act 2004-643 of 31 December 2004 stipulates that “except where the law makes it compulsory, professional journalists are not required to reveal their sources of information”. However, the law makes no reference to instances likely to constitute an exception to this rule. In the opinion of most panel members, the wording of article 28 leaves to be desired and opens the door to possible unacceptable interpretations. But an alternative reading proposes that the law is drafted in this way to make provisions for future statutory regulations. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER IVORY COAST 2009 81