Kini Nsom
5 May 2008
The British High Commissioner to Cameroon, H.E. Syd Maddicott, has vehemently condemned the ban government slammed on the Equinoxe Radio and Television in Douala and Magic FM radio in Yaounde.
"The cancelling of licenses of three broadcasting stations is an unwelcome move. Some have alleged that the stations in question were closed down simply because their editorial line opposed the constitutional amendment.
If true this is a serious problem. The press cannot be truly free if they are only free to agree with those in power" he said. The diplomat was addressing journalists during a dinner party at his Bastos residence on April 30 ahead of the World Press freedom Day that was commemorated Last May 3.
The High Commissioner said the effects of such action are not only felt by those stations closed down, because in a climate of fear, others will start to self-censor and the government will no longer be effectively held to account.
The diplomat equally took exception to Governor Fai Yengo's ban on peaceful demonstrations at a time when debates n the constitutional amendment was supposed to come to a head. Hear him, "And we have also seen freedom further curtailed in the ban on peaceful demonstrations by those opposed to the constitutional change.
Personally I think such restrictions are not only wrong in principle but counter-productive. I hope that for the sake of freedom of expression and Cameroon's reputation at home and abroad, the government will reconsider the cases of the closed broadcasters."
He held that where the licensing fees greatly exceed the administrative cost of supplying the licences for private audio-visual broadcast, government should reduce the fees as a means of encouraging more media choice. The main aim of licensing system, he maintained, should be to regulate frequencies and not as a source of revenue for government.
To him, government revenues should be derived through taxation as with any other commercial organisation and licensing, and it should be carried out in such manner that it cannot be interpreted as a means of exerting editorial control.
The High Commissioner recalled that in 2006, the government withdrew the bill on social communication, and hoped that self-regulation would be the better option. He urged journalists and media groups to work individually and collectively to produce workable arrangements.
Going by him, government has responsibility to enable media freedom, but cautioned that such a responsibility should come with responsibility that should not be interpreted to mean self-censorship. "...I am talking mainly of the independent media here. They should avoid more conspiracy outlandish theories.
Even if that means occasionally passing up an opportunity to attack government," he said. He however, said the media are free in Cameroon than in many other countries.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 The Post. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
