SECTOR 1 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: 1.7 (2008 = n/a) 1.6 Entry into and practice of the journalistic profession is legally unrestricted. Cameroon’s communication law describes a journalist as anyone who, on the basis of his/her “intellectual faculties” resulting from training and “talents”, is considered capable of to gathering and treating information destined for social communication. The law makes no mention of academic qualification. In 2002, the Prime Minister signed a decree that sets various conditions for obtaining a state-issued press card. This includes the requirement that applicants have at least a degree/diploma in journalism or a university degree in any other subject, plus two years of journalistic experience. The decree further stipulates that individuals with proven journalistic experience may be granted a press card if a press card commission judges them to be sufficiently qualified, after evidence of internships and seminars that total three months of formal training have been studied. The state-issued press card is a very controversial issue. The conditions for obtaining the card – i.e. a work contract, evidence of social insurance registration and a pay slip - are considered restrictive. Furthermore, journalists feel that the state-issued card is not necessary for most of their work, though the card is often demanded for authorisation to cover state events. In spite of these restrictive factors, , there are no legal restrictions to practice journalism in general, and panellists were of the opinion that entry into the journalism profession and practice of the trade cannot be considered restrictive. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER CAMEROON 2011 71