World Press Freedom Day commemoration: Gov’t mulls media aid review, associations call for legal reforms.

The promise from government and the demand from professional media associations formed the high point of discussions which took place at the Yaounde Conference Centre. 

The United Nations Economic Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, organised the brainstorming session. The Minister of Communication, Rene Emmanuel Sadi, attended the gathering.

Among the key messages delivered at the meeting was that of professional media associations in the country. The National President of the Cameroon Association of English-speaking Journalists, CAMASEJ, Jude Viban, delivered the message on behalf of all the media associations.

Painting a picture of the constraints journalists face in the discharge of their duties in Cameroon, the media associations noted that, 30 years since the institution of World Press Freedom Day, is more than enough time for Yaounde to review the media laws in place.

While acknowledging the level of press freedom in the country, Viban, on behalf of media associations said: “There is the over-stayed debate of decriminalising libel and slander”, before underscoring that: “Government needs to reformulate and pass new press freedom-friendly laws. Instead of punitive laws, Cameroon urgently needs those that promote and protect press freedom”.

Anyone passing for journalist

In the current dispensation, the media associations decried what they said is “the phenomenon of fly by night journalists; there is no sieve. Quacks are passing for journalists and journalists worth the salt are undermined”. 

The consequence, they associations noted in the message, is the opening of the “floodgates for just about anyone to be referred to as a journalist. Opening or setting up media outfits is too cheap. Hence, the avalanche of songbird publications”.

“We need Freedom of Information Act”

The media persons further noted in their message that there is need for a Freedom of Information Act to ease the work of journalists. 

Viban, on behalf of the associations said: “It is somewhat ineffective to think of punishment for a preventable offence. Some of the stories that get journalists into trouble are faulty because authoritative voices in government have been engulfed by the phenomenon of sealed lips”.

Journalists in Cameron, he declared, “need a legal instrument that obliges authorities to provide public interest information to all information-hungry journalists. It is more than time for a Freedom of Information Act”.

Gov’t should take lead in fixing problems

While bemoaning that journalists face difficulties that affect the quality of their work, the media associations were clear that: “Government needs to take the lead in fixing these problems”, before noting that a win-win partnership is possible in unity that would strengthen Cameroon’s democracy.

Challenges pushing more journalists into exile, self-censorship

Viban lamented that cases of intimidation, abductions in conflict-hit areas, arbitrary arrests and detention have “forced many journalists into self-censorship”.

Great stories that could benefit the country and communities, he also said, are out of the public domain “because of the uncertainty which abound after telling the story”. 

Going by Viban, if journalists don’t inform the public, the society is bound to suffer with the citizenry being unable to make informed choices.

Dilemma of choosing between hunger & poverty

On the theme of this year’s commemoration: “Shaping A Future of Rights: Freedom of Expression as A Driver for All Other Human Rights,” Viban said it “underscores the importance of press freedom in enabling other rights” before touching on the dilemma of journalists’ work conditions and respect for ethics.

The media houses across the country, he noted, operate on “shoestring” budgets with even the meagre media aid from government ending in private pockets”.

On this score, the CAMASEJ President said: “Journalists have been asked to choose between hunger and professionalism. The media aid is insufficient. Worse, it does not trickle down to the staff. Staff records of media owners are fraudulent. The real content providers are not officially contracted. Yet, some of these media outfits and others in suitcases are the first to receive government aid”. 

Gov’t working on increasing media aid

In a statement at yesterday’s event, the Minister of Communication, Rene Emmanuel Sadi, said there is need for responsibility on the part of the media in its quest to perform its role in society. “A press that wants complete freedom,” the Minister stated, must be responsible.

In relation to the social security of journalists and other challenges, he urged media proprietors to fulfil their obligations by paying staff, giving them employment contracts and effecting social insurance. 

Government, Minister Sadi reiterated, “is fully aware of the difficulties faced by media operators in the exercise of their profession”. 

This, he said, is in addition to the narrow market and increase in production cost that have made it sometimes difficult to meet certain commitments. 

For other constraints related to the difficult economic environment and support to the private press, the member of government said: “As a remedy to this, “the Government of the Republic is currently in the process of streamlining the existing support system in order to bring it to a significant level of state intervention in favour of privately-owned media”.

“We have made gains”

Irrespective of the concerns raised, the Minister assessed that three decades since the institution of World Press Freedom Day, Cameroon has made gains. 

In addition to this, the Minister said the liberalisation of the media sector and the road covered makes Cameroon to “be rightly considered as a state that respects human rights, of which press freedom constitutes the backbone.”

The Minister averred that government identifies with the theme of this year’s World Press Freedom Day. According to Sadi, the theme ties with what he said is government’s commitment to guarantee the rights of all citizens.