SECTOR 4 4.1 The standard of reporting follows the basic principles of accuracy and fairness Overall, Cameroon’s quality of news reports is dismal. By and large, panellists stated that most stories are incomplete, one-sided, misleading, inaccurate, sensational, opinionated and outright false. ‘Some journalists go as far as imagining or making up stories,’ said one panellist. In September 2017, the NCC delivered 22 rulings on media offences and almost all concerned were biased, unverified and libellous claims. Panellists describe several factors that could explain such poor standards. Many journalists are poorly trained and enter the profession to seek fame or easy money. With low to no salaries, journalists lack the resources to report properly and are willing to twist stories for a fee. As an example, one panellist referenced the reports on a train derailment that killed hundreds of people in 2017, ‘You had one story with several versions of what happened.’ In other words, he suggested that outside forces were controlling the narrative in newspapers. Fake news has taken on a new dimension with social media. Increasingly, journalists pick up stories from WhatsApp, Facebook or Twitter and proceed to publish or air these without additional reporting and verification. Additional problems arise from the way newsrooms are run. Most do not have written policies that guide journalists and editors on what is expected of them. In many instances, owners use the news organisation to either promote their personal agenda or help political and business allies. As one panellist put it, ‘it is usually obvious from reports that some newspapers and journalists are biased against or in favour of certain public figures and institutions.’ Clientelism is therefore rife in the industry. ‘Strong lobbies have hidden hands in the newspapers and therefore influence their content.’ In spite of the bad situation, panellists emphasised that a handful of journalists try to remain professional. Many, from both the private and public media, have won national and international awards, reflecting their high quality of work and ethical standards. From time-to-time, some newspapers have also demonstrated that they have the potential to produce high-quality content that is accurate and fair. 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: 42 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER CAMEROON 2018 ✓ ✓✓✓ ✓✓ ✓ ✓✓ ✓ 2.8 (2008 = 1.7; 2011 = 2.2; 2014 = 2.3) ✓ ✓