Cameroon
Working conditions are equally very poor, especially for the private
media practitioners. Some newspapers lack office space, most journalists do not have work contracts; they do not have health insurance and do not receive family allowances. The publishers and
editors expect journalists to make money by themselves. When
journalists return from an assignment, some editors even insist on
knowing how much the organizers of the event had given them for
transportation and probably a drink.
SCORES:
Individual scores:			

1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1

Average Score:			

1.2

4.9

Training facilities offer formal qualification programmes
for journalists as well as opportunities to upgrade 			
their skills.

ANALYSIS:
There are many training facilities with proper curricula. The Universities of Buea and Yaounde are well staffed and have a good department and School of Journalism, respectively. The Siantou University
Complex and the National Polytechnic Bambui also train journalists.
But after the training, the various media organs have no opportunities for upgrading the skills of the journalists. The media organs
instead depend on donor organisations like the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, the British Council and the United States Embassy to sponsor
seminars for their staff. But most often, the seminars only attract
journalists when the organisers offer them a per diem. Journalists
want to be paid to upgrade their skills.
SCORES:
Individual scores:			

4, 4, 3, 4, 5, 4, 5, 3, 1, 3

Average score: 			

3.6

38				

African Media Barometer - Cameroon 2008

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