Media enterprises in Cameroon will witness an increase in the financial assistance from the government beginning from this year.

This new state financial assistance announcement was made by the Minister of Communication, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, yesterday May 4, 2015, in Yaounde during a public discussion to mark World Freedom Day in Cameroon.

The theme this year is “Let Journalism Thrive! Towards Better Reporting, Gender Equality and Media Safety in the Digital Age.”

Speaking at the occasion, Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary said the creation of a special account to support media enterprises in Cameroon was underway and the necessary procedures were on good footing.

The Minister made it clear that only media enterprises that fulfil certain conditions will benefit from the assistance that will range from FCFA 20 million to 30 million annually.

The conditions include having head office, registration of workers with the National Social Insurance Fund and staff with duly signed contracts. The new financial assistance is to enable eligible media houses to become more viable, the Minister pointed out.

Concerning the improvement of the legal framework of journalists, Issa Tchiroma Bakary said efforts are being made to rejuvenate the Commission for Issuing Press Cards. He used the occasion to call on journalists to respect the ethics of the profession by upholding its image.

The audience listened to an inaugural lecture by Professor Laurent Charles Boyomo Assala, Director of the Yaounde Advanced School of Mass Communication, ASMAC. He talked on “The question of press freedom in the face of decentralization.”

Other speakers such as Etienne Owono, a Senior Civil Administrator, spoke on, “Decentralisation in Cameroon: How far have we gone?” while François Marc Modzom, Editor- in-Chief CRTV Radio handled “The organisation of a newsroom according to the management of territorial information.”

Organised by the Network of Cameroonian Journalists of Decentralisation (RJCD), the event brought together cabinet members, representatives of international organisations, Centre Regional officials, journalists and guests.