Cameroon Tribune new look goes fully operational

Cameroon Tribune now appears in a new form with modifications in style and content conceived to meet public demand.

The regular quest to fulfil the noble mission of providing Cameroonians with up-to-date information, both at the national and international levels, has led Cameroon Tribune (CT) to undertake some major variations in the newspaper.

As the leading newspaper on the newsstands since its inception in 1974 with print run of about 30,000 copies daily, the paper has constantly sought to meet the taste of readers.

And given the rich mosaic of cultures and people that make up the national triangle as well as feedback received in 2014 when the newspaper clocked 40, it virtually became impossible to remain indifferent to calls from cherished readers asking for more.

Moreover, some 15 years after major changes witnessed by the newspaper partly due to efforts to embrace the digital age, the various columns and graphic chart or style sheet had to be readjusted to better contain the new vision of the paper, with the introduction of colour pages in 2001.

For those in Yaounde who have been asking questions about a towering building at the headquarters of the corporation, the answer lies a state-of-the-art printing press, KBA COMET, which management acquired thanks to support from the Head of State.

Such an acquisition that combines speed and quality in newspaper prints, the best in the Sub-region, has improved the print run to the extent that management had to look for ways to ensure that in-house products should reflect the modern standards of the corporation.

Consequently, to guarantee reader comfort and offer an attractive newspaper where the Cameroon News and Publishing Corporation, SOPECAM, partners can also advertise with certainty, profound changes had to be introduced.

Besides the plane presentation of pages and a reduction in the multiplicity of colours, the infographic, picture illustrations, standing heads and Folio lines brought closer and a thin line that accompanies the byline below the Deck; make the newspaper different from the previous pages.

For instance, priority is now given to illustrations as a general design principle compared to the past.

Still concerning the physical presentation of the newspaper, the column rules, gutters as well as text and columns have been redesigned to avoid unnecessary fancy while giving the newspaper an innovative look. From the Front Page, the Flag and page conception have been slightly modified to look like the Masthead.

Looking at the content, emphasis has been placed on topical issues as expected, but there is also the desire to go deeper into the news with feature pages that help give an insight into daily happenings around the country and beyond.

Thus, apart from 24 HEURES (24 Hours) which readers must have started visualising as a teaser to the transformed CT, the special reports that were often given a preponderant position in the newspaper no longer exist.

The various desks, that is, Politics, Economy, Society, Sports and Foreign, will henceforth take appointments during specific days of the week to propose a fascinating closer look at topical issues both at home and abroad.

These modifications do not stop the senior staff in the newsroom from their regular analytical pages like CT Analyses and ‘Grand Reportage’ which are periodical in nature.

Of course, to make sure that national events are well covered, Douala, which is a business hub in the country has been given more space, likewise Regional news and ‘Actu de Chez Nous’ that enable our agencies in the eight regions of Adamawa, East, Far North, North, North West, West, South West and South be regularly present in the newspaper.