SECTOR 2 2.4 Transparency of ownership of media houses in print/broadcasting is guaranteed by law and enforced. The media law requires anyone wishing to set up a newspaper or a radio or television station to declare all parties involved in the venture and to designate a liable publisher in the case of multiple or corporate ownership. For newspapers, the law also requires the name of the publisher to be printed on the cover page of every issue, directly under the title of the newspaper. The owners of newspapers or radio or television stations in Cameroon are generally known to the public. However, according to the panellists, there is suspicion that in some instances, the “real owner – generally politicians or businessmen and women – often hire associates, friends or relatives to front for them”. Politicians are believed to own radio stations that have been created solely to help them during election campaigns. Senior public officials are also believed to have created and sustained newspapers to promote personal agendas and fight their rivals. “There are usually people pulling strings in the dark,” said one panellist. 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: 3.4 (2008=n/a; 2011=n/a) 2.5 Adequate competition legislation/regulation seeks to prevent media concentration and monopolies. Cross-ownership is limited by Cameroon’s media law. According to Article 43 of the 1990 Law on Freedom of Social Communication, an individual or corporate entity can own a combination of a print publication and a radio or TV station but not a combination of all three18. Individuals or corporations are also prohibited from owning shares in more than two media ventures. The law also limits the ownership of radio and TV stations to physical persons. In the view of many, the 18 This was the general understanding of the article by panelists. Some interpreted the wording to mean that ownership is limited to not more than one platform. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER CAMEROON 2014 99