The Cameroonian press fails to regulate itself - Peter Essoka

The interim president of the National Communication Council recalls the difficulty regulating the media in Cameroon and the lawsuits against him.

Ecofin Agency: Is there peace in CNC when it is charged the violation of the freedom of speech of the press and yourself dragged to court for defamation and abuse of power?

Peter Essoka: We are absolutely in peace. The staff work well and counselors arrive here each quarter for the sessions. Our opinions are a bit different on some issues, but we always come to a consensus after discussions.

AE: Which issues have you been receiving and your opinions ed folders such as your opinion are they competing?

EP: We must decide on complaints against certain media or by persons or by any citizen. We record a lot of complaints about the media and journalists. But the real difficulty is that the board meets every three months to make decisions. The plaintiffs would like the issues to be dealt with immediately, but the president of CNC does not decide alone.

The Board meets and listens to different parties and give itself time to decide. On some matters, I can get decisions to be made quickly, but you can not convene the Board in a special session every day.

AE: You're talking about the media and journalists, has CNC neglected other areas of communication?

EP: No, not at all. We have even had discussions with cable companies and despite not taking concrete actions, we have had discussions with the players in advertising and communication. It is about finding a way to also regulate these sectors.

AE: Is there not any urgency to sit on the complaints of the Minister of Communication, who criticized some newspapers for the treatment of the health status of President Paul Biya and the photoshop issue on the website of the Presidency?

PE: We are currently analyzing the arguments of each party and the issues raised. For example, whether the Minister of Communication had a cause to make us sit on this matter. I believe that everyone has the right to enter the CNC to address issues affecting them. The Council works on complaints and we have to take our time to make an informed decision.

AE: Is the CNC just not trying to run on government orders?

EP: No, not at all. We do not execute what the Minister of Communication says. We must investigate and this is why there is a book about the complaints procedure. Some said that the Board is under the Ministry of Communication, no it is not, we are an autonomous body and I can say we are independent.

AE: If this complaint should be dismissed, would you have the courage to do so?

PE: Absolutely! Why not! It is not a matter of courage because I think we're skilled to do so. We have rejected other ministers before, and even if it is the president of the Republic, we would. In my view, this case does not directly concern the president despite talking about the president's health and his photos. We must examine all causes before deciding and that's what we are doing.

AE: Can the CNC free itself from the government that created it?

EP: Yes. I can confirm that because we take our decisions without being influenced by anyone.

AE: Do you believe the CNC is seen by the press as a government tool to control?

PE: Yes I believe so. Journalists protest because they are not regulated. When you have a child and you let him do anything, the day the child is disciplined by the parents, he will revolt and say that his parents are wicked. Later, he can understand the reason and challenge it.

AE: The Council has increased the suspensions of journalists and news outlets and you even permanently suspended certain media. How effective are these sanctions knowing that the press seems to be against you recently?

PE: We do not endorse sanctions always. A sanction is educational and the efficiency comes gradually. I followed some of the debates on radio and television and I hear stakeholders reminding people that they should not say things that would put the media before the Cnc. This is proof that people are beginning to realize.

AE: The dialogue with the Federation of Newspaper Publishers failed. What went wrong?

PE: It worked but the problem was with the people. When you give someone advice, you expect that person responds positively, but if he reacts differently, you continue to follow to know why he did that. All we are doing is to continue emphasizing on certain things, certain principles, certain standards. The press should not be indecent.

AE: On the basis of which law did the CNC ban the media from publishing any news against the election process, is it not playing the government's game?

PE: It is not based on any law but we do not operate in a vacuum. It can stand alone operating in a system. It's not that we play the government's game, we are in a state, so be careful.

AE: So the Cnc isn't not independent?

PE: As a journalist with the newspaper Le Jour, you yourself are not completely independent, let alone your newspaper. There are things that people need to understand. When we speak of freedom, there are limits even for us and I say we must be careful.

AE: For you who is a journalist, isn't it frustrating to be denied the right to inform the public?

EP: Of course, there must be frustration in this career. There are standards in every context. You should know what to do as we can give certain election information, but we must be careful how to do it because there are some journalists who give provoking news. You are young and there are many things that happened in this country. We must be careful what we give as an election news because it can cause a lot of damage. That's what we tried to control. I would not tell the history of elections in this country but know that there are many things which are not spoken and let me not dwell on it. These are things that could be dangerous for the freedom of this country. Yes, it's frustrating for journalists but from time to time, there are certain rules that when issued, perhaps, are not always good to digest.

AE: Can the CNC do better at checking the media knowing that it is ignored on more important issues including the new law on audiovisual communication or the establishment of the award committee of the press card?

PE: We can and want to do more and that is why we protested. We have sent letters to the Prime Minister about the latest law on audiovisual communication and the transition to digital terrestrial television, the government did not follow the procedures. The Ministry of Communication was to send the laws to the CNC for their opinions before the bill goes to the National Assembly.

AE: Have you heard from them?

PE: We did our work by following up that it should not be like that.

AE: Faced with little consideration, isn't the Cnc weakened in its regulatory mission?

EP: No, because we are fighting for certain things to be settled with the Cnc imagining a media environment that can be organized. I am aware that with the 1990 law on social communication, an evil was established. You can have 10 newspapers in the country instead of 600. I believe people can write properly. Is it necessary to have 100 television channels? The sad thing is that many of these media operate without a license.

AE: Whose fault is it if the guardianship isn't taking appropriate action?

PE: I do not want to involve anyone. I just think we need to take certain measures in regulation including the Ministry of Communications, which is supervising the media. I hope that things will change the day this authority is transferred to the CNC, because normally it is the board that should do it. We need to be a little more strict and aware of what we want.

AE: Do you know that government also has an interest in the problems of the media?

EP: If you say so. This is the drama and these are the things that must change. We can do otherwise. If we live in this drama every day, the media will not be taken seriously. The men and women of the media must take their profession seriously and should not let anyone practice their trade as if it has no principles. When they need something they applaud. And when someone wants to control them, they cry. Everyone wants something done but who will? These are the problems that will be resolved? They are expecting that?

AE: Between regulation and self-regulation of the media what should prevail in Cameroon?

PE: As a journalist, I prefer self-regulation, but the Cameroonian press fails to regulate itself. The Cameroon Media Council has never really worked. It is supposed to be the peer court. There are many associations within the Union of Journalists of Cameroon and even within these groups they do not. In the current context, we need a regulatory body such as the CNC to stop the ambient disorder.

AE: Haven't you noticed that the CNC is housed in a luxurious place while the Cameroonian press is immersed in poverty?

PE: Yes the office is comfortable. This was necessary for the prestige of the institution and the country, because we now have partners abroad. But the lack of financial resources is our biggest problem. It takes money to carry out actions like the seminar we prepare on the electronic media. For example, the operating budget of 2014 arrived in February 2015. We expect even that of the current year.

AE: Objectively, isn't the governing system not making the CNC work effectively?

PE: I have not said that we must destroy the system but we have to try to find ways to follow procedures, to follow the rules in each instance.

AE: The L'Anecdote press group sued you for slander and abuse of power in the wake of sanctions imposed by the CNC. Losing it would mean that trial failed in your mission?

PE: Yes. The fact that someone tells you that you have failed is a part of life and you have to manage it. We know the risks of our job. If you have to punish someone, of course he will react and sometimes can react badly.

AE: As vice president of CNC, you took the leadership of this body following the death of its president, Bishop Joseph Befe Ateba a year ago. Do you truly feel like the President?

PE: I could not remain inactive on the pretext that I am vice president. I sign the decisions and the board works under my supervision. So I assure you that I am the interim until the president appoints someone else or confirms me.

AE: You are working today with the Cnc under government supervision after your journalism career at CRTV, a media under government control. Were you a free man?

PE: Completely free, for I am free spirited and that is what is essential. I say honestly what I think without insulting anyone. I am a Christian and I speak freely.