Media in Cameroon

In Cameroon, public authorities, private providers, community radio stations, print media, television broadcasters, online services and social platforms operate alongside one another. The National Communication Council (Conseil National de la Communication (NCC)) oversees media rules, journalistic ethics, complaints, pluralism, the protection of children and young people, and access to media during elections. The Ministry of Communication (MINCOM) is responsible, among other things, for media policy, accreditations and support for the private press. The Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ART) deals with electronic communications, frequency allocation and technical service quality. The National Agency for Information and Communication Technologies (ANTIC) is responsible for cybersecurity, incident response and the protection of children online. Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV) is the public radio and television provider; the National Press Card Commission (Commission nationale de la carte de presse) handles press cards, while the Ministry of Arts and Culture (MINAC) is responsible for copyright matters. The NCC directory lists 93 television broadcasters, 129 commercial radio stations, 169 community radio stations, 232 print media outlets, 72 online services and 65 cable providers. Distribution is unequal: for the print press, the Media-Map directory lists 90 entries in the Centre, 56 in the Littoral and 37 in the West, but only 3 in the East and 2 in Adamawa. In the conflict-affected Northwest and Southwest regions, actual availability depends especially on location and infrastructure. French and English are widespread in state and nationwide services. CRTV broadcasts bilingual news; regional and community radio stations may also take local languages and cultures into account. The press is governed by Law 90/052 and its amendment through Law 96/04. Administrative censorship of press organizations was abolished, while duties concerning accuracy, journalistic ethics, the protection of dignity, public order and the rights of others continue to apply. A press card facilitates access to reporting. The National Press Card Commission operates on the basis of a 2019 decree. At a meeting on 23 May 2025, 6 of 51 new applications were accepted, 28 were deferred and 17 were rejected; 101 renewals were also processed. Incomplete documentation was a frequent reason for rejection. The official pages reviewed do not state uniform current fees, processing times or complete access requirements. Audiovisual services are governed by Law 2015/007. The licensing system covers, among others, editorial providers, content aggregators, distribution companies, conditional-access providers, mobile and satellite television, tele-distribution and platform operators. ART assigns frequencies with the approval of the NCC; an operating licence from the competent ministry is also required. The NCC may issue warnings, impose temporary suspensions or order a final ban. For private audiovisual licences, the process involves a dossier submitted to MINCOM and the NCC. No uniform public processing time or fee has been published. CRTV offers, among others, CRTV, CRTV NEWS, CRTV SPORT, Poste National, Suelaba FM, CRTV237WEBRADIO and Mount Cameroon FM. Television and radio are partly available live on the web; repeats and the myCRTV app are also available. This requires a compatible device, electricity, a network connection and data volume. Regional availability may differ from the nationwide offering. CamerBox provides legal Cameroonian television channels live and on demand and is supported by CRTV. Opening an account is free, but access afterwards is paid; payment is made in Cameroon in Central African CFA francs (FCFA) and for the diaspora in euros, including through MTN Mobile Money, Orange Money or card. The subscription can be cancelled without a fixed commitment; a uniform current tariff was not stated on the page reviewed. Media access is strongly mobile-oriented. ART reported more than 15 million internet subscriptions in 2024, 99 percent of them through mobile access, a 26 percent increase in data traffic and more than 31.5 million active mobile connections. According to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MINPOSTEL) and the National Institute of Statistics (INS), more than 80 percent of adults used a mobile phone; in the three months before the survey, 47 percent had internet access. Use is heavily concentrated in cities. Data prices, devices, electricity supply, network quality and rigid tariffs therefore influence whether streaming, online press and social media are actually accessible. In 2023, according to the available figures, around 10 million people were online, most of them aged 15 to 35. Social media is used predominantly on mobile devices. MINPOSTEL has promoted responsible use of social platforms since August 2020. The Digital Citizenship Festival 2025 focused particularly on young people and addressed misinformation, fraud, identity theft and cyberbullying. ANTIC reported more than 2,500 cyber incidents for 2023. Users should check sources, compare information with official channels, preserve evidence and report abuse. The research did not identify an independent state body for public fact-checking. Media providers must respect users' privacy, dignity and safety. For audiovisual consumers, this includes, among other things, protection of health and the environment, adequate quality, continuous and secure services, continuity, notice before an interruption, and options for complaints, refunds and compensation. Complaints can be addressed to the provider, the NCC or the competent consumer-protection bodies. The NCC publishes a complaints guide and contact details, but no general binding response deadline. Children and young people receive special protection. The NCC is required to protect their dignity in all media. Law 2023/009 contains a charter for the protection of children online; ANTIC works with a corresponding protection structure. Risks include cyberbullying, unsuitable or sexual content, child sexual abuse material, grooming, sexual solicitation, exploitative advertising and advertising for online gambling. A corresponding reporting platform is recommended, but the research could not confirm a verified nationwide reporting portal. Law 2010/012 governs cybersecurity and cybercrime. Social-media posts may therefore be subject not only to data-protection and dignity rules but also to limits arising from cybercrime law and public order. Law 2024/017 on the protection of personal data was adopted on 23 December 2024, according to the available information. During elections, reporting should be objective, balanced and impartial; media should provide equal access. Publishing partial results or trends before the official announcement of results is restricted. Copyright and related rights are governed, among others, by Law 2000/011 and Decree 2015/3979 as amended in 2016. Protection also covers the rights of performers, producers of sound and visual recordings, and audiovisual communication companies. News and current events may be distributed or broadcast only under the applicable legal conditions, with clear source and copyright attribution and without a reserved exploitation right. Streaming, redistribution and making third-party content publicly available generally require rights clearance or a licence. Costs for newspapers, data, radio and television vary by provider, location, device and type of access; there is no uniform nationwide media price.