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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 10, No. 9

Publication Date: September 25, 2023

DOI:10.14738/assrj.109.15379.

Wantchami, N. L., Ngange, K. L., Cheo, V., & Célestin, N. (2023). Censorship as a Determinant of Professional Journalistic Practices

in the Cameroon Context. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(9). 332-355.

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

Censorship as a Determinant of Professional Journalistic

Practices in the Cameroon Context

Nengieh Lizzie Wantchami

University of Buea, Cameroon

Kingsley Lyonga Ngange

University of Buea, Cameroon

Victor Cheo

University of Buea, Cameroon

Nana Célestin

Foundation of Applied Statistics and

Data Management (FASTDAM), Buea, Cameroon

ABSTRACT

This study seeks to assess the relationship between censorship and professionalism

in the Cameroon media landscape. It employs a descriptive cross-sectional survey

research design using, specifically, the concurrent-nested mixed method approach.

A total of 270 journalists were interviewed from five of the 10 regions of Cameroon,

covering the geographical diversity of the country with another purposive

dimension of the sample targeting buoyant regions. These regions were Northwest,

Southwest, Littoral, Centre and North and a semi-structured questionnaire

consisting of open and close ended questions was used for data collection. The

journalists were conveniently sampled and data was collected in their media

houses. Quantitative data were processed using Epidata 3.1 and analysed with the

support of SPSS 21.0. The Cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficient was very

satisfactory, with a value ranging 0.815 to 0.972. This therefore, implies that the

internal consistency assumption was not violated, that items on the questionnaire

were understood and answered to a satisfactory level of objectivity. Major findings

revealed that there was somehow no relationship between professionalism and

censorship (R=0.026; P=0.676). This implies that censorship is more content- related and action is triggered only when journalists deviate from the established

or expected norms.

Keywords: Journalist, journalism, information, Cameroon, control, censorship,

professionalism, democracy.

INTRODUCTION

Press freedom remains a measure through which a country’s democracy can be ascertain.

Cameroon press freedom has been variedly described, proportionately reflective of the

governing regime and the country’s historical, economic, cultural and socio-political stability.

The high rate of political instability characterized by conflicts in the two Anglophone (English-

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Wantchami, N. L., Ngange, K. L., Cheo, V., & Célestin, N. (2023). Censorship as a Determinant of Professional Journalistic Practices in the Cameroon

Context. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(9). 332-355.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.109.15379

speaking) and Northern regions of the country has placed journalists in an arena where

professionalism is not only questioned but new antiterrorism law (2014) that could limit press

freedom enacted. More so, although freedom of expression, speech, information as well as

association is guaranteed by the constitution and law, the watchdog functions of the media,

essentially to inform and educate the government and citizenry, have been frustrated because

security officials eager to obtain information, harass journalist and at times imprison them as

accomplices of activists. Journalists access to official sources is virtually limited to state-owned

media and most private media are not economically viable enough to sustain professionalism.

Journalists now resort to corrupt practices primarily due to low wages. This study therefore,

seeks to appraise journalists’ perception of censorship in the Cameroon press in the midst of

the challenging legal, cultural, economic and socio-political environment.

The relationship amongst democracy, the media and journalism can be described as a social

contract (Locke, 1988; Kieran, 2000; McQuail, 1992; Stromback, 2004). According to this view,

media and journalism require democracy as it is the only form of government that respects

freedom of speech, expression and information, and the independence of media from the state.

By respecting and protecting these necessary freedoms, democracy fulfils its part of the social

contract with the media and journalism (Stromback, 2005). At the same time, democracy

requires a system for the flow of information, for public discussion and for a watchdog function

independent of the state. This is where media in general and journalism in particular enter the

picture. In theory, the media fulfil their part of the social contract by providing citizens with the

information they need in order to be free and self-governing, the government with the

information it needs in order to make decisions in the common interest sensitive to public

sentiments, an arena for public discussion, and by acting as a watchdog against abuse of power

in politics and other parts of society (Stromback, 2005). Media, however, perform other

functions like entertainment, advertisement and education (McQuail, 1994; Dominick 1994,

Severin & Tankard, 1997). Democracy and journalism have a win-win relationship. Carey

(1999, p.51) says, ‘‘without journalism there is no democracy, but without democracy there is

no journalism either.’’ Problems arise when democratic rights are not respected. In such a

system, the media perish and journalists suffer to get accurate information needed to enhance

democracy. On the other hand, when journalistic values and ethics are not respected in a

medium where unprofessionalism flourishes, the media perishes and subjects itself to scrutiny.

Journalists’ assessment of press freedom in Cameroon is essential as many questions arise in

the practice of journalism in the state. Press freedom encompasses not only freedom of

expression, freedom of information, commercial freedom but freedom from government

control. According to Eribo (1997), the concept of press freedom abhors government control,

censorship, interference, and under democratic regulations aimed at abridging the freedom of

opinion, expression, and transmission of information or ideas through the mass media and

other channels of communication. Asante (1997) similarly cites censorship, physical

harassment, threat of lawsuits, press and journalist licensing requirements, appointments and

dismissal of editors, government rewards and incentives, the practice of withholding newsprint

allocations, quantitative decreases in the of advertisement support, and self-censorship as

methods to quell press freedom. Kelley and Donway (1990) also believe that free press means

performing the function of watchdog, preventing the state from aggrandise and abusing the

rights of its citizens. The cultural and political environment of a society controls the media

(Ashante, 1997) since the media do not exist in a vacuum. However, Rozumilowicz (2002)

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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 10, Issue 9, September-2023

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

argues that a non-monopolisation from any group (the government, market, or elite) is the key

to a free and independent media. He claims that free and true media can be achieved only if the

fundamental domains of society (legal, institutional, economic, and social-cultural) support the

structure of demonopolisation of media sources. Ashante (1997) asserts that no country in the

world has an absolute freedom of the press, which suggests that different countries possess

different degrees of the freedom, Cameroon is no exception. The definition of press freedom

varies for each country, society, culture, and people. This simple fact illustrates the difficulty of

defining the freedom of the press in universal terms (Holtz-Bacha, 2004). Whatever the case,

Cameroon has continually been ranked poorly under the World Press Freedom index with press

freedom on progressive decline across the years from 2018 to 2021. Cameroon was ranked

135th out of 180th position in 2021, 134th out of 180 in 2020, 131th in 2019, 129th out of 180 in

2018, 130th out of 180 countries in the World press freedom index compiled by Reporters

Without Borders in 2017. Cameroon lost 4 places from the 2016 classification in which she

occupied the 126th spot in the world (rsf.org>ranking>2017;

http://apanews.net/en/news/cameroon-ranks-130th-in-world-press-freedom-index,

https://rsf.org/en/ranking).

UNESCO has argued that the construction of a modern media environment capable of

supporting democracy and good governance may require a proactive role by the state – in

providing infrastructure, funding a public broadcaster, and ensuring the right kind of

regulatory environment (Puddephatt, 2011). Norris and Zinnbauer (2002) argue that

independent journalism, as a potential check on the abuse of power, is a necessary but not

sufficient means of strengthening good governance and promoting human development. They

suggest that these goals are achieved most effectively under two further conditions. Firstly, in

societies where channels of mass communications are free and independent of established

interests; and secondly, where there is widespread access to these media. Both of these may

require some action by the state.

Journalists’ Assessment of Censorship on the Cameroon Press

Information coup through censorship is the first line of action against an imminent threat to a

governmental power, such as in a revolt or rebellion. The press plays a crucial role in any

conflict, it is also the first victim of war (Newth, 2010; Soengas, 2013). To maintain public

ignorance during a rebellion or conflict, the press is censored through tactics such as

suppressing reporters and closing or taking over the news outlet (Abbassi and Al-Sharqi, 2015).

Abbassi & Al-Sharqi (2015) conducted a study entitled ‘Media Censorship: Freedom Versus

Responsibility’. The authors first of all clarified that media censorship is a global phenomenon

that has foreshadowed information outlets for centuries. They explained that a common ground

for censorship is the maintenance of an orderly state, whereas, the underlying motive is to keep

public ignorant of the information that can potentially threaten authorities. The authors

explained that the worldwide Internet connectivity in the contemporary era allows information

to pass through, within and beyond borders in minimal time; therefore, an increasing number

of media consumers depend on the internet for a wide variety of information. According to the

authors, historically, the access to news has not been this easy; the press in most of Europe in

the 18th century was under the draconian reins of censorship, which gradually abated by the

19th century due to public demand. The authors were of the vision that autocratic and heavily

centralised governments still openly or subtly employ censorship as a tool to silence

government opposition. The authors explained that to combat information coup, tech-savvy