SECTOR 2 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: 3.5 (2008=2.2; 2011=3.7) 2.10 Private broadcasters deliver a minimum of quality public interest programmes. Studio debates and call-in programmes that may last for up to three hours dominate the airwaves on private radio and TV stations in Cameroon. A study by the Advanced School of Mass Communication in Yaounde revealed that debates and talk shows make up as much as 82% of the programme content of many of these stations. Such interactive programmes have increased the voice of the common person on the airwaves, and often discuss issues relevant to them. However, despite their large number, the quality of studio programmes often falls short of basic journalism principles and standards. In many cases, both anchors and guests lack a mastery of the subject they are discussing. Furthermore, the apparent open and rich discourse of public issues is nothing but a mirage. Panellists observed that in Douala and Yaoundé, “the same people move from one radio and TV studio to the other as guests pontificating opinions as if they were facts”. A few university lecturers who regularly feature on such shows are often lampooned by their peers as “microphone intellectuals” who are “specialists in everything and masters of none.” The situation is often blamed on the lack of means by private radio and TV station proprietors to produce quality programmes. Not to be neglected either, is the lack of professional training and creativity within the industry. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER CAMEROON 2014 105