SECTOR 3 3.6 The state/public broadcaster is adequately funded in a manner that protects it from political interference through its budget and from commercial pressure. CRTV has several sources of funding, including the audio-visual tax that is paid by all workers19, advertising, the sale of productions and equipment rental. CRTV Marketing and Communication Agency (CMCA), an independent subsidiary of the company, raises about CFA 2.2 billion (US $4.4 million) annually in advertising revenue. 50% of this ad revenue is used for the running of the corporation. and the remaining 50% transferred to CRTV. In addition to established revenue streams, the corporation often gets “special subventions” to cover important national events such as elections and the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of reunification in 2012. Its budget rose from about CFA17 billion (approximately US $34 million) in 2013 to CFA24 billion or (approximately US $48 million) in 2014. CRTV’s revenue from the audio-visual tax is collected through the state treasury and disbursed by the Ministry of Finance. For unexplained reasons, disbursements of the money collected from this tax have been declining over the past years. The trend has been linked to attempts to “make things hard” for the current management of the corporation. The increasing unpredictability of the arrival of revenue raised from the audio-visual tax forces the CRTV to rely heavily on other sources, especially advertising. Though it is vulnerable to political influence, the use of the budget as a tool of interference has a less significant impact than the increasing influence on content by political heavy weights. 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=1.0) 19 Article 39, 1990 law on freedom of social communication AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER CAMEROON 2014 117