The official launch of presidential campaigns has once again highlighted a familiar imbalance. The ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) is enjoying wider and more sustained coverage in English-language media than its opponents.
Newspapers as at Monday 29
From the opening weekend of the campaign, CPDM voices and billboards were prominently visible across Bamenda, Buea, Limbe and other Anglophone towns. On state-owned Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV), CPDM messages have been accorded extended slots, while private broadcasters in the North West and South West have equally aired the party’s rallies and interviews with senior officials.
The imbalance extends beyond broadcast media. In the days following the launch, the front pages of leading newspapers were dominated by CPDM campaign events, often framed with striking photographs of rallies and senior party officials. Online platforms and popular news blogs mirrored the same trend, giving prime visibility to the ruling party’s activities while offering minimal space to opposition candidates.
Opposition parties have faced significant hurdles breaking through. While the Social Democratic Front (SDF) secured coverage of its Bamenda launch, the broadcasts were largely confined to the candidate’s personal social media channels, few online news platforms and a handful of private radio outlets. New entrants such as the Univers Party, Front des Démocrates Camerounais (FDC) etc have been even more limited in visibility, relying on local meetings and online platforms with modest reach.
Analysts argue that this skewed access reflects deeper structural issues in Cameroon’s media system. According to the African Media Barometer (2023), state media remains under heavy government influence, particularly during elections, with ruling party activities often framed as national events rather than partisan ones. A 2022 Afrobarometer survey also found that more than 60% of Cameroonians still rely primarily on radio for political news, further pointing to the importance of airtime control.
The CPDM’s stronger grip on English-language outlets has immediate implications for voter perception. In regions where the opposition has historically been strong, the dominance of CPDM narratives risks crowding out alternative messages.
Communication schoolar regularly of say such imbalance means voters are not receiving equal exposure to the range of ideas and programmes on offer.
This trend also raises questions about regulatory oversight. The National Communication Council (NCC), which is tasked with ensuring fair coverage, has often been criticised for failing to sanction state and private media bias during elections. During past elections, international observers including the Commonwealth and the European Union have repeatedly flagged unequal access to media as a threat to electoral credibility.
As campaigns intensify, opposition parties are likely to lean more heavily on social media, WhatsApp groups and localised events to bypass mainstream gatekeepers. But with newspapers, websites, television and radio still commanding the broadest audiences, the CPDM’s commanding media presence may prove decisive in shaping narratives ahead of the 12 October polls.
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By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices
Email: hilltopvoicesnewspaper@gmail.com
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