SECTOR 4 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: 3.6) 4.8 Salary levels and general working conditions for journalists and other media practitioners are adequate. Salary levels and working conditions vary between the commercial and state media. Commercial radio stations tend to pay low salaries and provide no benefits. In the state media, salaries are adequate, and include benefits. Private newspapers tend to pay low salaries, but do provide other benefits. Panellists criticised commercial radio stations in particular, for their poor working conditions and discrepancies between the salaries paid to white and black staff. Some panellists suggested there is an apartheid mentality within some private broadcasters. Meanwhile, pay within the community broadcasting sector is “very low”. “We have to earn a small income just to sustain the radio itself. We simply get an allowance of N$1500 (US$217) a month.” This is the equivalent of a month’s rent for a one bedroom flat. A freelance writer earns between N$0.50 and N$1 (US$0.07 to 0.15) per word, Where possible, media houses place journalists on contracts rather than hiring them as full-time staff. 62 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER NAMIBIA 2011