The media practice high levels of professional standards. 4.1 The media follow voluntary codes of professional standards, which are enforced by self-regulatory bodies that deal with complaints from the public. A media code of ethics was adopted 20 years ago by the Association of Guinean Journalists (Association des Journalistes de Guinée, AJG), but has since been watered down and is now being supported by the Guinean media ethics observatory (l’Observatoire Guinéen pour la Déontologie dans les Médias, OGUIDEM). Most media practitioners do not approve or respect the code and the industry is fragmented over the issue. OGUIDEM, a self-regulatory body, was established in 2001. The term of office of its current management has expired and the body is inactive at present. It is expected to be revived soon. This situation has arisen because journalists themselves show no interest in the body, and the public does not know what the code is all about or how OGUIDEM operates. With the liberalisation of private broadcasting in 2005, and given the vacuum created by the inactivity of OGUIDEM, the union of private broadcasters of Guinea (l’Union des Radios et Télévisions libres de Guinée, URTELGUI) and the association of online media of Guinea (l’Association Guinéenne de la presse en ligne AGUIPEL) drew up their own code of ethics. Some members have already been excluded12 or suspended13 for violating that code. Some efforts are indeed being made in various sectors to ensure compliance with professional ethics. But, on the whole, panelists agreed that self-regulation is still not widespread in Guinea. As a result, the National Communication Council (CNC) remains the only body to which complaints are directed. For example, the newspaper Le Defi was suspended by the CNC, a sanction that journalists and the public thought was excessive. 12 URTELGUI 13 AGUIPEL 110 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER GUINEA 2011