By Innocent Buchu
In the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, journalists face precarious working conditions that affect their ability to uphold the ethical standards of their profession. In addition to the economic and political challenges that affect the entire Congolese population, some journalists face particular difficulties that also call into question their professional integrity and independence.
The working conditions for journalists in the DRC are often described by them as “almost inhuman”. These “knights of the pen” face irregular salaries: those who are lucky receive delayed payments, while most receive no remuneration at all. And many of them work without a formal contract, without health insurance and without the basic guarantees provided by Congolese labor law Newsrooms are often poorly equipped, with a lack of essential materials, and journalists often have to use their own equipment for work in the name of passion. This lack of job security and guarantees prevents journalists from working in a stable and secure environment, which is essential for them to fulfill their task of informing the public and thus for them to fulfill their position as the “fourth estate”.
This situation has a direct impact on journalists’ ability to uphold the ethical standards of their profession. The lack of financial resources tempts many journalists to engage in dangerous practices, including accepting “coupages”, i.e. payments for covering an event or publishing favorable information Accepting and sometimes demanding financial benefits from sources, while against journalistic ethics, is often considered necessary to survive in a hostile economic environment
Due to economic pressure, some find themselves self-censoring and avoiding reporting on certain topics for fear of losing their jobs or facing reprisals from authorities or influential groups who represent an informal source of income for some. This endangers not only the quality of the information that reaches the public, but also the integrity of the journalistic profession itself.
Impact of the difficult context on journalistic ethics
The ethical principles of journalism are based on independence, integrity and accuracy of information. In the DRC, these principles are often put to the test by the difficult working conditions. As Ferdinand Banga pointed out, journalism is a profession regulated by strict ethical standards, but these standards are difficult to uphold when journalists are constantly under economic and political pressure
Media expert Michael Schudson also emphasizes that media organizations, as social and economic entities, bear a great responsibility for the well-being of their employees, including journalists However, in the DRC, this responsibility is often neglected, leading to the exploitation of journalists and the violation of their fundamental rights. Employers seeking to cut costs often fail to provide the minimum working conditions required by law, further exacerbating the vulnerability of journalists.
The DRC has a legal framework in place to protect the rights of workers, including journalists. Law No. 015/2002 of October 16, 2002, on the labor code, provides protection for all employees, particularly with regard to working hours, the right to vacation, and fair remuneration. In practice, however, these provisions are often not applied.
In Goma, where journalists often work without a formal contract, it is difficult to raise the issue of paid leave or overtime
A media environment in step with the country
In addition to economic and legal challenges, journalists in the DRC also face a difficult media environment. Since the overthrow of the Mobutu regime and the transition to a more open system, the Congolese media has expanded rapidly. However, this expansion has not been reflected in an improvement in journalists’ working conditions or in the quality of the information disseminated Both state and private media outlets in the DRC are suffering the effects of the economic crisis gripping the country. Declining circulation, reduced advertising budgets and the lack of stable financing are endangering the viability of the media and their ability to provide quality information. This situation is exacerbated by the growing mistrust of the public towards the media, who feel that information is often distorted or influenced by vested interests
The Congolese state has no clear policy on this issue. Apart from Radio National Congolais, which is not sufficiently subsidized, no media outlet receives any state funding. However, the large number of NGOs in the region has helped some editorial offices to improve their working conditions, although this is only a drop in the ocean given the multitude of needs. These international organizations have provided financial and technical support to media and journalist organizations to strengthen their ability to work independently and uphold ethical standards.
It is now of the utmost urgency to reopen the debate on improving journalists’ working conditions. This will not only benefit the DRC in terms of protecting their rights, but also in promoting a free and independent press, which is a guarantee of democracy and development.
Infobox: The city of Goma, in the North Kivu region of eastern Congo, has been at the center of several conflicts since the 1990s and is one of the most unstable places in the world. Located between Lake Kivu, the Nyiragongo volcano and the border with Rwanda, it is not only the rebel movement M23 that is clashing with the army. There are also tensions with neighboring Rwanda. After more than 20 years of conflict, the situation of the civilian population is extremely precarious. Sexualized violence as a weapon of war is a widespread problem. In 2018, the doctor Denis Mukwege, who often treats stigmatized victims, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In addition, there is the risk of volcanic eruptions – most recently in May 2021, lava poured over parts of Goma.
This article, “Reporters in Goma: between journalistic ethics and survival” was originally published by the European Journalism Observatory on September 10 2024.