SECTOR 4

4.7
Journalists and media have integrity and are
not corrupt.
he participants had quite a long discussion on this indicator. hey expressed
their concern about the apparent decline in integrity amongst journalists and their
managers. An example that was noted concerned a journalist, who was expelled
from a newspaper after being caught trying to extort money from a family as a
condition for not publishing allegedly damaging information about them. He was
subsequently given a job at another newspaper where he is working and writing
articles. here was no consensus among participants with regards to the argument
that corrupt practices among journalists are encouraged by low salaries.
Despite such isolated incidents, however, panellists agreed that Mozambican
journalists are characterised by high standards of integrity and enjoy considerable
prestige within society.

Scores:
Individual scores:
1

Country does not meet indicator

2

Country meets only a few aspects of indicator

3

Country meets some aspects of indicator

4

Country meets most aspects of indicator

5

Country meets all aspects of the indicator

Average score:

2.6 (2005 = n/a; 2007 = n/a; 2009 = 2.5)

4.8
Salary levels and general working conditions
for journalists and other media practitioners are
adequate.
In general, the salaries of journalists are considered acceptable. However, there is
a large disparity in salary scales between the public sector and the private sector,
as well as between companies. Nevertheless, taking into account the cost of living
and the risks of the profession, the average salary scale for journalists and related
workers is inadequate. Moreover, employment in the sector can be precarious, with
insecure contracts and situations where journalists are kept as interns much longer
than acceptable. In the worst cases, journalists work without a contract and are
only paid for each article published.

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER MOZAMBIQUE 2011

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