SECTOR 2 The media landscape, including new media, is characterised by diversity, independence and sustainability. 2.1 A wide range of sources of information (print, broadcasting, internet) is accessible and affordable to citizens. Cameroon has hundreds of registered newspapers, including six dailies and about a dozen regular weeklies. Newspapers are available mainly in urban centres, where they are distributed by the country’s lone distribution company -Messapresse. Some major newspapers have deployed parallel distribution networks following their dissatisfaction with Messapresse; but such efforts are have minimal impact due to insufficient resources and the remoteness of parts of the country. L’Effort Camerounais, a Roman Catholic publication based in Douala, has the widest reach because it makes use of its extensive network of dioceses and church parishes throughout the country. Regional publications have a better chance of reaching the rural areas of their regions because of their restricted circulation. But when newspapers do reach the hinterlands, they are often several days or even a week late. Cameroonian newspapers, with an average size of between 12 to 30 pages, are generally considered very expensive at a cost of CFA400 (approximately US $1). This is rather steep compared to newspapers in countries with similar economies, such as Senegal, where newspapers are sold for between 150 francs CFA and 200 francs CFA. The cover price of the state-owned Cameroon Tribune is 400 francs CFA, and about 32 pages in size. For the average Cameroonian, this is expensive. Even those who can afford newspapers often find it hard to buy more than one a day. There are several radio and television stations that offer a wide range of programming. However, only the state-run Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV) has a signal that reaches all 10 regions. Even so, some very remote parts of the country habitually go without CRTV signals for months at a time, as a result of broken transmitters. Private broadcasters mainly target urban centres. Today, an increasing number of small towns and villages are served by community radio and small television stations. Cable-distributed TV programming is available to many people in urban centres for an average monthly fee of 5000 francs CFA (approximately US$11). Generally, radio has a better reach than television, since transistor radio sets are cheaper than TV sets. In rural rareas, access to both radio and television are often hampered by power problems. 78 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER CAMEROON 2011