SECTOR 3 3.1 Broadcasting legislation has been passed and is implemented that provides for a conducive environment for public, commercial and community broadcasting Broadcasting is regulated by a prime minister’s decree issued in 2000. The decree, amongst other things, lays down the conditions for creating, running and licensing broadcast media in the country. It recognises three categories of broadcast media: public, private-commercial and private non-commercial. It makes no direct mention of community broadcasting. Since the decree was issued, only two TV channels have been provided with broadcasting licences. The rest operate under a regime referred to as ‘administrative tolerance’. A commission to examine licence applications has met only once since 2000. Critics argue that the absence of licences is not due to the goodwill of the government as authorities claim but is a deliberate action to refuse private broadcasting legal existence. In other words, authorities can brandish the lack of licensing every time they want to shut down a broadcasting outfit. Panellists generally agreed that both the broadcast legislation and its implementation do not create a conducive environment for the sector. They also cited the cost of licensing, which ranges from 5 million CFA (about 8,800 USD) for non-commercial private radio stations to 100 million CFA (about 176,000 USD) for private commercial national TV networks. Nonetheless, the lax enforcement of the fees has allowed radio stations and TV channels to mushroom across the country, even if they run the risk of being permanently shut down. 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: 35 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER CAMEROON 2018 ✓✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓✓ 3.0 (2008 = 3.0; 2011 = 4.0; 2014 = 3.1) ✓ ✓