SECTOR 2 2.12 Government does not use its power over the placement of advertisements as a means to interfere with editorial content Advertising is a powerful tool in the hands of the government. ‘When the government places adverts in newspapers, it waits for up to a year before paying. During that time, newspapers report with care,’ said one panellist. Authorities routinely use advertising to reward friendly newspapers and withhold it from those giving them bad press; or from newspapers perceived to be supporters of their political rivals. In other words, ‘the government uses advertising like a cane to whip those who do not toe the line, into order,’ said one panellist. Panellists alleged that public officials also use their advertising budgets to push their personal agendas. It is therefore common to find ’hit and run’ newspapers loaded with adverts which are not found in regular, higher circulating, newspapers. ‘When a minister changes department, you can see how advertising spending migrates with him from the old to the new ministry,’ said another panellist. Authorities also attempt to influence advertising from private companies, which they accuse of sponsoring media to attack the government. 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: ✓ ✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓✓✓✓✓ ✓ 1.8 (2008 = 1.5; 2011 = 1.7; 2014 = 2.2) 2.13 The advertising market is large enough to support a diversity of media outlets Advertisement spending in Cameroon dropped from about 6.5 billion to 3 billion CFA (about 11,000,000,000 to 5,300,000,000 USD) between 2011 and 2018. The advertising market was driven down by many things: cheaper options such as social media advertising became available and mobile phone companies, that represented a large size of the market, simply used their own services to reach customers. A decline in circulation affected newspapers and weak economic prospects reduced the media’s bargaining power. Media outlets began accepting advertising bids well below their asking price, as each scrambled for dwindling advertising spending. 32 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER CAMEROON 2018