Sanctioned media bodies drag CNC to court

Afrique Media and Royal FM have reported to the administrative court to challenge decisions of the media regulator.

13 days after the sanctions by the Council of National Communication (NCC), the audiovisual media affected are still carrying out production. They include the Panafrican channel, Afrique Media which broadcasts from Yaoundé and headquartered Douala and Royal FM.

Jonathan Nti, the director of Royal FM 92.1, the sanctioned radio station planned to apply to the courts to challenge the punishment from the NCC. "We expect the decision of the administrative tribunal where we have filed a complaint against CNC including the month's suspension we were given," says Jonathan Nti, promoter of Royal fm.

According him, "the tribunal asked the CNC to postpone its decision and to provide evidence of the subject for which the radio must be suspended."

Same as the television channel Afrique Media which followed the same process as Royal FM, they challenged the decisions of the NCC. "We informed the administrative tribunal and currently, we expect an order for a stay in execution of the sanctions plus we have tabled a document to the CNC," noted Patrick Eya'a, Director of information at Afrique Media.

Informed of the situation, Peter Essoka, the acting president of the CNC said "we have been informed of what is happening and we have sent a document to the administrative tribunal to demonstrate our opposition to what is being done by these media. I don't have anything to say about it. We have already answered all the questions", said Peter Essoka, reached by telephone from Côte d'Ivoire.

As a reminder, on June 4, the CNC sanctioned some media (audiovisual media) and presenters of programs. At Afrique Media, the CNC suspended Juliane Magne Tadda and Ladan Mohamed Bachir, two journalists who handle the programme "Merit Pan-Africain", broadcast every Friday at 7:30 pm; and "Pan-African debate", broadcast at 2 pm every day.

Royal FM, was sentenced to three months of suspension as well as Martin Marcellin Ateba, presenter of "The Republican Debate".