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, mobile phones) is accessible and affordable to citizens. Sources of news and information have broadened over the past few years, thanks in part to better internet access, the popularisation of mobile platforms, and the ever increasing number of broadcast outlets. Greater mastery of consumer and professional technologies and the falling prices of these technologies have helped the process. Nonetheless, social factors like poverty and illiteracy still keep segments of the population on the margins of this apparent progress. Each platform boasts unique characteristics and developments: Mobile phones Mobile phone penetration is believed to be well above 70%14. Nexttel, the country’s first third Generation (3G) network, went operational in September 2014, bringing broadband internet to handset users15. Nexttel’s arrival brought the number of mobile telephone operators in Cameroon to three. The government granted a fourth license to the state-run Cameroon Telecommunication (CAMTEL) in September 2014. With these developments, the number of mobile users is expected to grow. Thanks to a wide range of messaging applications and decreasing costs, the mobile phone has emerged as a fast growing source of news and information for a large segment of the population, especially the youth16. SMS messaging is still widely used, and is easily the most affordable form of mobile communication. It is currently being used to deliver market information to cocoa and coffee farmers in remote parts of the country. In the north of the country, an SMS-based project helps pregnant women stay in touch with health workers. Several commercial interests and mobile phone companies deliver sports fixtures and results, powershedding information, health tips and pharmacy opening hours via SMS. The growth of mobile platforms as a source of news is closely related to that of the internet, especially with the growing popularity of smart phones and tablet computers. 14 The country’s largest mobile company MTN Cameroon announced its 10 millionth active subscriber – nearly half the country’s total population, in February 2014. 15 Nexttel in the commercial name of Viettel Cameroon limited, a joint venture by Vietnamese and Cameroonian investors 16 Cameroon has more than 513,000 Facebook users and an increasing number of Twitter, WhatsApp and Viber users 94 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER CAMEROON 2014