On the whole, Namibian journalists were found to do a reasonable job in their reporting;displaying some level of fairness and accuracy. However, the quality of journalism still isn’t as good as it should be. Journalists are found to be reactive, rather than proactive – relying on press releases and press conferences for their stories. In this regard, one panellist stated, “It’s like reactionary journalism”. Investigative journalism remains lacking; and there is a lack of diversity in voice, content and media ownership (along gender, ethnic, religious, class, and sociopolitical lines), as well as in the angles of the stories explored. A member of the panel expressed the situation by saying, “We are missing the boat on a lot of angles”, and “missing the perspectives from below”. There is a clear need for educational institutions with media offerings to train beyond the technical, as well as for students from other majors to explore journalism as a viable option. Otherwise, as a member of the panel stated, “we are producing technically skilled people who are intellectually hollow”. On-thejob training and mentorship programmes are also necessary, given this state of affairs. While the Media Ombudsman provides an important and effective avenue for the public to take issue on media reports, in line with a voluntary media code of ethics, it falls short of making media houses that report inaccurately or irresponsibly feel the full sting of their lapses in professional journalism. The Media Ombudsman can only exact an apology or retraction from media houses, but cannot order monetary compensation for the complainant, or a fee for these lapses. Media ethics have also come into question, with warning signs of corruption tainting the integrity of media houses. A panellist warned that “there is a creeping risk of corruption particularly in private media houses”. The need for editors to engage and train their staff on media ethics is vital, and the broader public should be educated and informed about the dangers of corruption in and corrupting the media. The working conditions and salaries of media professionals require review and redress, partly because these issues are often linked to corrupt behavior. The potential for a union for journalists, or a Press Club to address some of these issues was highlighted as worthy of exploration. Finally, civil society needs to come to the table and join media in advocating for media freedom, access to information, and, essentially, freedom of expression and thought. Of over 400 civil society organisations in Namibia, aside from the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), only the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and the Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) are actively engaged with these issues. A member of the panel noted, “We are using media just to echo what we are doing, but are not looking at the impact of Freedom of Expression AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER NAMIBIA 2015 9