Cameroon Private Print Journalists Perception of the National Communication Council

ObjectivesThe existence of a council to regulate and check media excesses has been recognised as a necessity in other partsof the world. In Cameroon, there is presently a debate over the role and powers of the National CommunicationCouncil, also known as the NCC. This study aimed at reaching a comprehensive assessment of Cameroon printjournalists’ perception of the National Communication Council. That is, to understand their continuous criticismsof sanctions issued by the council.MethodologyThe research problem was addressed by conducting qualitative interviews with journalists from 12 newspapersfound in 3 cities: Buea (South West Region) and Douala (Littoral Region) and Yaounde. A phenomenologicalresearch approach coupled with Colaizzi 1978 phenomenological qualitative data analysis was used gather andinterpret data.FindingsInterviews revealed that Cameroon private print journalists consider the National Communication Council as anorgan which is not autonomous with members being appointed by the Head of State and therefore not completelyindependent of the Executive as they should be. Consequently, it is recommended that media professionals shouldbe associated in the formation of a new organ and that the law creating this organ should be enacted by theparliament.LimitationsThe recruitment journalists from journalists from the private press was justifiable to conduct this study. However,the sample selection which was limited to member of the private newspapers and therefore excluding membersfrom other types of media like tv, radio and online can limit the generalization of this to other member of themedia landscape