SECTOR 2 2.1 A wide range of sources of information (print, broadcasting, internet, mobile phones) is accessible and affordable to citizens In 2016, it was estimated that for about 22 million people, Cameroon had more than 600 newspapers, 102 radio stations and 60 TV channels. News outlets have mushroomed since the liberalisation of print media in the 1990s and the audiovisual sector in 2000. Extensive internet penetration and mobile phone use have also increased online news services and blogs. Radio is still considered the most popular news source due to its wide coverage and accessibility, particularly in the more remote parts of the country. The staterun radio network covers about 72% of the country, while urban FM stations and community radios have a 28% national coverage. Over the past years, the cost of radio receivers has continued to fall, driven in part by massive Chinese imports and the popularity of FM-enabled mobile phones. The changing landscape of television transmission and technology appears to be reducing access from previous years. The increasing use of digital signals now requires households to either change their TV sets to newer, costlier versions or to install digitisers, decoders and satellite antennas. New technologies have reduced the number of free to air channels, forcing households to buy cable and satellite subscriptions. Newspapers appear to have suffered the sharpest decline, with the circulation of some of the largest dailies down to a few hundred. Access to newspapers is limited by cost and infrastructure. Dailies sell for about 500 CFA (about 1 USD), about the price of a pint of lager beer. The state-run Cameroon Tribune has the largest print run of about 15,000 copies per day. Although online news remains a small fraction of the media industry, it is easily the fastest growing segment. Despite the fact that it is cheaper to produce and circulate, the medium faces huge challenges related to monetisation. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 24 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER CAMEROON 2018 ✓✓✓✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓✓✓ 4.3 (2008 = 2.6; 2011 = 2.8; 2014 = 3.8)