Media of Cameroon

The media of Cameroon includes independent outlets. The nation has only one national newspaper, which is state owned.[1]

Cameroon's media includes print publications that are both public and privately owned; a public television station and privately owned channels; radio stations that are public, privately owned, and foreign, and the Internet.

Freedom of Speech

The constitution guarantees freedom of the press, but in practise the threat of government censorship generally prevents opposition viewpoints from appearing in print, especially in the government-controlled press.

Censorship and harassment of journalists is common in Cameroon. The government has been implicated in recent efforts to block access to Twitter within the country.[2] Newspaper editor Raphaël Nkamtcheun was detained for receiving allegedly confidential government documents from former finance minister Polycarpe Abah Abah when he visited Abah in Yaoundé prison on February 17, 2011, an incident that Reporters Without Borders condemned as arbitrary intimidation.[3] "Cameroun Express" editor Ngota Ngota Germain (aka Bibi Ngota) died in Yaoundé’s Kondengui Central Prison on April 22, 2011, an incident opponents cite as government intimidation;[4] other reporters subject to arrest and incarceration without being charged include editors Serge Sabouang of the bimonthly "La Nation" and Robert Mintya of the weekly "Le Devoir"[5]

In 2009, the freedom of the press global classification released each year by Reporters Without Borders ranked Cameroon 109 out of 175 countries.[6] "Sensitive issues" were reported there.[7]

88 proposals to create private radio and television services are under examination by the Minister of Communication.

Print media

Most Cameroonian publications are issued irregularly and have small circulations. The majority are published in French, but some appear in Bulu, Duala, and other native languages of Cameroon. The major daily is the Cameroon Tribune, the official government newspaper, published in French in Yaoundé, with a weekly English-language edition; circulation was 66,000 in French and 20,000 in English as of 2002. There are 40 to 50 private newspapers, most of which are published sporadically.

Cameroon's print media includes several publications, including the following:

Public

Privately owned

Radio and Television

In 1987 Cameroon’s radio and television networks were merged to form the Office de Radiodiffusion–Télévision Camerounaise (CRTV), which operates under the authority of the Ministry of Information and Culture. There are broadcasting stations at Yaoundé, Douala, Garoua, Buea, Bertoua, Bamenda, and Bafoussam, offering programs in French, English, and many African languages. In 2004, there were about 20 privately owned radio stations operating in the country; however, these were not officially licensed. The state-owned Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV) is the only officially recognized and fully licensed broadcaster in the country.

In 2003, there were an estimated 161 radios and 75 television sets for every 1,000 people.

Television

Public

Privately owned

Radio

Public

Cameroon has several public radio stations, regulated by the Radio de l'office national de radio et télévision (CRTV).

Privately owned

International

It is also possible to receive Canal+ Horizons.

Telecommunications

The telecommunications network has been improving over the years. It is still inadequate by international standards; the fixed line infrastructure, owned by the monopoly fixed-line service provider Camtel, has outdated equipment and service in the country is irregular. Only 1 out of every 100 Cameroonians has a fixed-line telephone.

An automatic telephone exchange system links all important cities and towns. Cable, telegram, and telex services connect Cameroon to the outside world. In January 1974, a satellite telecommunications earth station was inaugurated, greatly improving the quality of Cameroon’s international telephone service. However, service is still limited to mostly business and government use.

As of 2009, there are approximately 40 mobile telephone subscribers for every 100 people in Cameroon.[8]

Internet

In 2003, there were 5.7 personal computers for every 1,000 people and 4 of every 1,000 people had access to the Internet. There were three secure Internet servers in the country in 2004.

See also

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ "Blocked for more than 10 days, is Twitter being restored?". Reporters Without Borders. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Newspaper editor arrested while visiting former minister in prison". Reporters Without Borders. Retrieved August 20, 2011. Reporters Without Borders firmly condemns newspaper editor Raphaël Nkamtcheun’s detention for the past week for receiving allegedly confidential government documents from former finance minister Polycarpe Abah Abah when he visited Abah in Yaoundé prison on 17 February. Abah has been jailed since 2008 on an embezzlement charge.
  4. ↑ "Authorities stick to their position on newspaper editor's death in prison". Reporters Without Borders. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Newspaper editors released conditionally". Reporters Without Borders. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
  6. ↑ Reporters sans frontières  : Classement mondial 2009
  7. ↑ Reporters sans frontières
  8. ↑ "Cameroon". CIA World Factbook. Retrieved August 20, 2011.

Further reading

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/31/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.