manner, which in itself helps to discredit the profession in the eyes of the public. There is, however, a statute for journalists, which in its article 13 stipulates that the professional conduct of journalists should be defined in their specific code of ethics, which must as a necessity contain in it the guarantees for its observation. Participants were of the opinion that while a Code Ethics is not yet in place, the problem could be best dealt with in the meantime with the establishment of such bodies at the newsroom level. This would help to overcome some of the weaknesses that are currently inherent in the media. SCORES: Individual scores: 2, 2, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 Average score: 1.3 4.2 The standard of reporting follows the basic principles of accuracy and fairness. ANALYSIS: Generally, yes. However, in such a polarised political environment as it obtains in Cape Verde, there emerge occasionally some tendencies along political party lines which then reflect themselves in the way journalists carry out their duties. There are also cases of journalists and media organisations who use the profession in order to settle scores with their adversaries. In this sense participants highlighted the need for journalists to guide themselves by the basic principles of ethics and deontology, which state that in any issue there must be more than just one version, and that no one should be accused without proof or evidence. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 4.3 3, 3, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4 2.8 The media cover the full spectrum of events, issues and cultures, including business/economics, cultural, local, and investigative stories. ANALYSIS: The media in Cape Verde covers the full spectrum of issues not only within the country, but also in the Diaspora. It is even possible to notice some degree of specialisation, with newspapers having special sections that cover Economic issues, Culture and Sport, among others. The preoccupation about covering all of the country’s 10 islands is evident among most of the media organisations. Among other issues that have attracted the attention of the media there are those that pertain to the health of women and children. Investigative journalism has also been gaining ground, with the media playing its role of protecting the 41