Media houses, journalists suspended for misconduct

Government has suspended at least six media houses, including Afrique Media, one of the most popular television stations in the country, for publishing or airing defamatory materials.

The Cameroon media watchdog, the National Communication Council (NCC) also banned many journalists and publishers from practicing journalism in Cameroon for at least six months for writing unverified and unbalanced stories.

The NCC made the outcome of its 10th ordinary session held on April 30, 2015, in a release signed by Peter Essoka, its Vice President.

Below is the unedited version of the press release announcing the suspensions.

The Vice-president of the National Communication Council informs promoters, media professionals and the general public that on 30 April 2015, this autonomous regulatory body held its 10th ordinary session, in compliance with the provisions of Decree No 2012/038 of 23 January 2012 reorganising the NCC.

The agenda of the proceedings focused mainly on preparations for the 2015 commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day and ten (10) case reviews. The following decisions were taken after the reviews:

1/- In Afriland First Bank’s case against “Le Renard”,

The complaining financial institution petitioned the NCC against the print media organ named “Le Renard” for publishing unfounded accusations that may be prejudicial to its image in its 038th issue of 19 February 2015.

The Council, after establishing the responsibility of the newspaper’s publisher given the publication of unfounded claims, which neither fulfilled the requirements of verification nor balance in the treatment of information, separately suspended “Le Renard” and its publisher from practicing the journalism profession in Cameroon for a period of six (06) months for misconduct which constitutes violations of professional ethics in mass communication.

2/- Concerning Pamol Plantation Ltd’s case against “Cameroon Herald”,

Following the publication of unfounded accusations of mismanagement and embezzlement in its 090th issue against the Interim General Manager of Pamol Plantations Plc and certain senior public figures, The Council, after establishing the responsibility of the publisher of the newspaper in question for not respecting the requirements of verification and balance, separately suspended “Cameroon Herald” and its publisher from practicing the journalism profession in Cameroon for a period of six (06) months for misconduct which constitutes violations of professional ethics in mass communication.

3/- In the NCC’s case against “Afrique Media”,

The Council:

-Based on the programmes “Le mérite panafricain” and “le débat panafricain” broadcast respectively on the aforementioned television station on 1, 8, 20, 27 February and 16 March 2015 during which certain guests leveled baseless accusations and incitement to hatred likely to impair the image and dignity of personalities, institutions and foreign countries;

– Specifying that the choice of guests and the conduct of television programmes are the responsibilities of their presenters;

– Taking into account repeated professional slips of a similar nature which prompted it to call the attention of “Afrique Media’s” management to the risks involved in broadcasting live programmes with contributions from guests, some of whose spur-of-the-moment declarations can cause irreparable damage,

– Recalling that pledges to respect professional ethics made by the management of Afrique Media after they were first summoned before the NCC were never followed by action,

– Noting that the generalization of the aforementioned professional breaches have resulted in detrimental confusion between free speech and the violation of the dignity of moral and physical persons,suspended Afrique Media for a period of one month, and Magne Tada Juliana and Mohammed Bachir Ladan , presenters of the aforementioned programmes for six (06) months each from practicing journalism in Cameroon for repeated professional misconduct characterized by a lack of control of the aforementioned programmes permitting the guests to make unjustified accusations likely to impair the image and honour of personalities, institutions and foreign countries.

4/- In the NCC’s case against “LTM”,

The Council, which reproached Awilo, presenter of the programme “Town Cryer” on LTM for making an unjustified accusation concerning the war between Cameroon and the Islamist sect Boko Haram which is likely to impair the honour and dignity of a foreign country, separately suspended the programme “Town Cryer” and its presenter from practicing journalism in Cameroon for a period of three (03) months for broadcasting a baseless accusation which constitutes violation of professional ethics in mass communication.

5/- In Martinez Zogo’s case against “Climat Social”,

Mr. Martinez Zogo, journalist at “Amplitude FM” filed a petition to the NCC against the newspaper “Climat Social”, following the publication in its 0061st issue of unjustified accusations which impinged on his person and dignity.

The Council, After confirming the responsibility of “Climat Social’s” publisher pertaining to his media organ’s non respect for the professional requirements of verification and balance resulting in the publication of unjustified accusations against the petitioner, separately suspended “Climat Social” and its publisher from practicing journalism in Cameroon for a period of six (06) months for misconduct which constitutes violation of professional ethics in mass communication.

6/- Concerning Oswald Baboke’s case against “Royal FM”,

Mr. Oswald Baboke, Technical Adviser at the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic, filed a petition to the NCC against “Royal FM” after the presenter of the programme “le débat républicain” broadcast on 2 February 2015 on this radio station, declared that the petitioner embezzled the sum of 15,000, 000 FCFA, which Cameroon’s First Lady allegedly sent to Mr. Emmanuel Mbombog Mbog Matip.

The Council, After establishing the responsibility of “Royal FM” and that of the presenter of the contested programme for failing to respect the two-fold requirement of verification and balance in the treatment of information which led to the broadcast of an unfounded accusation likely to violate the petitioner’s dignity,separately suspended “Royal FM” for one (01) month and Mr. Martin Marcelin Ateba, presenter of the programme “le débat républicain” for three (03) months from practicing journalism in Cameroon, for misconduct which constitutes violation of professional ethics in mass communication.

7/- In Vincent Nji Ndumu’s case against “Vanguard”,free press ad

Mr. Vincent Nji Ndumu, Governmnt Delegate to the Bamenda City Council, filed a petition to the NCC against the print media organ “Vanguard” following the publication of accusations of mismanagement in the exercise of his duties in its 120th issue of 9 February 2015.

The Council, After establishing the responsibility of the publisher of the newspaper in question for breaching the dual requirement of verification and balance in the treatment of information which resulted in the publication of unfounded claims against the petitioner,separately suspended “Vanguard” and its publisher for six (06) months from practicing the journalism profession in Cameroon, for misconduct which constitutes violation of professional ethics in mass communication.

8/- In the cases between Mr. Issa Tchiroma Bakary, Minister of Communication and “Mutations”, “Quotidien Emergence” and “Le Messager”, following:

– The publication of information concerning a photograph of the Head of State bowing before the remains of soldiers who died in the war front posted on the Presidency of the Republic’s website on 09 March 2015,

– And the republication by these newspapers of an article about the health condition of Cameroon’s presidential couple originally published on the website of the “Le Monde” newspaper,

The Council, After a debate which took Members’ contradictory positions into account, decided to defer its deliberation on the three aforementioned cases.