SECTOR 4 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: ✓ ✓✓✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓✓✓✓ ✓ 4.5 (2008 = 3.6; 2011 = 4.5; 2014 = 2.7) 4.8 Equal opportunities regardless of race or ethnicity, social group, gender/sex, religion, disabilities and age are promoted in media houses Media executives claim that competence is the only criteria used for recruitment. While there are no policies discriminating against minorities, there are equally no policies to promote them. The diverse landscape that has emerged over the years appears to be the unintentional result of changes in the broader society as a whole. For example, progress in female education means that many more women are educated and end up in journalism schools and newsrooms. Many panellists argued that, indeed, there are currently more female students in journalism schools and on TV than male students; however, they hardly rise to senior positions which are still dominated by men. One exception is CRTV, which has in recent years shown signs of encouraging women to cover more male-dominated ‘beats’, such as sports. The 2017 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations was covered almost entirely by women, some of whom reported on the subject matter for the first time. The corporation currently has eight female senior executives out of 34; a huge jump from previous years where there were only one or two. Ethno-regional discrimination is more visible. In the state media, Anglophones are systematically appointed as the deputies of Francophone seniors. It is common to find media houses dominated by a single ethnic group, which sometimes reflect the ethnic origins of its owners or management. ‘There are certain positions that seem reserved for people from some regions,’ said a panellist. 48 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER CAMEROON 2018