MTN, publishers seal deal to boost online sale of newspapers.

The Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between MTN Cameroon and FEDIPRESSE, aims to better digitalise the print media sector. Officials said through the agreement, the online presence of newspapers will be scaled up.

The General Manager of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs at MTN Cameroon, Jean Melvin Akam, and the Vice President of FEDIPRESSE, Ngah Christian Mbipgo, signed the deal on behalf of both institutions.

The ceremony took place in the presence of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Communication, Prof Félix Zogo, who represented Minister Rene Emmanuel Sadi.

Also present was the President of the National Communication Council, NCC, Joseph Chebonkeng Kalabubse; the Director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, Paul Coustére; and a host of other officials and newspaper publishers.

According to Jean Melvin Akam, MTN Cameroon and the publishers’ federation have been in talks for several months to seek ways to improve on the digital presence of newspapers.

“We are delighted to partner with FEDIPRESSE, in this transformative initiative. MTN Cameroon is committed to supporting the growth and development of the Cameroonian media industry,” Akam said.

He added that MTN Cameroon is “convinced that this partnership will play a crucial role in enabling print media outlets to embrace the digital revolution and to better meet the demands of the public, who have the right to quality information”.

The MTN Cameroon official noted that the collaboration will be implemented through a range of programmes, designed to meet the specific needs of the media in general and the written press in particular.

Providing technology, access to network

MTN Cameroon, Akam told reporters, has for years been providing the media in Cameroon with possibilities of digitalisation. This, he said, is being done through the provision of technology and the network of MTN to further extend the distribution of newspapers 

He went on to intimate that the partnership between MTN Cameron and FEDIPRESSE will equally involve the training of journalists in digital writing. Akam said journalists will be equipped with the skills they need to thrive in the digital age.

Boosting sales, distribution

Akam added that the MoU will equally include the sale and distribution of newspapers via the Yello Kiosk platform, to reach a wider audience and improve distribution efficiency.

He equally added that thanks to the MoU, MTN Cameroon equally has plans to come up with the MTN Y'ello Press Awards, which will recognise and celebrate excellence in print media journalism in the country.

MoU turning point for print media

Also speaking at the ceremony, the Vice President of FEDIPRESS, Ngah Christian, who doubles as the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian Post daily newspaper, said the MoU between MTN Cameroon and FEDIPRESSE marks a turning point in the life of the print media industry in Cameroon.

“With the advent of the social media, sales from the newspapers have gone below sea level…we will be able to sell our newspapers worldwide and of course, our situation will be far better with this partnership,” Ngah stated.

He went on to express the federation's gratitude to MTN Cameroon, for the opportunity given them. The partnership, he said, is the most important thing the institution has done for the print media in Cameroon.

He equally used the opportunity to call on his peers to improve on the content of their publications and to exercise professionalism to benefit from the new opportunities.

Use MoU to reinvent sector

The President of the NCC, Joseph Chebonkeng Kalabubse, for his part challenged newspaper publishers to make good use of the partnership and work for the reinvention of the print media sector in the country.

According to him, after taking a pause of the print media in Cameroon, he discovered that the sector is gradually disappearing. He underscored the need to reinvent things.

“…Thank you MTN Cameroon for this partnership on World Press Freedom Day. I think there is no better offer,” Chebonkeng said, adding that “there is no turning back, we are moving ahead. There is need to adapt to digitalisation…”.

Enter Communication Minister’s representative

The representative of the Minister of Communication noted that the print media business needs lot of resources and much investment. Prof Felix Zogo hailed MTN Cameroon for seeing the need to help the private print media sector by engaging the MoU.

Prof Zogo went on to remark that through the partnership, MTN Cameroon and FEDIPRESSE will work together to contribute to the progress of the media sector in general and the written press in particular.