The media landscape in Cameroon changed significantly after media liberalization in the 1990s brought an end to the monopoly of State-owned media. Since then, a plethora of community and rural radio stations has emerged leading to an increase in diversity of news content and to better access to information among both rural and urban populations. Increased use of national languages in broadcasting has been one of the benefits of this changed media landscape.

Given that vernacular broadcasters are constantly using the languages that their constituencies use and that they are in direct contact with the poorest people, this sector of the media was seen both by Eden Radio FM and by WACC as a key player in the anti-poverty struggle and current development of Cameroon.

The first workshop took place in Limbe and brought together 35 national language broadcasters from all of the six divisions of the southwest region. The second workshop took place in Mankon Bamenda and provided training for 50 vernacular broadcasters from the seven divisions of the northwest region.

At the end of the training project both groups went on to create a network to unite forces and ensure better use of resources and to provide leadership for vernacular broadcasters for the future. In South West Cameroon the group launched the National Language Broadcasters Association, while in the North West the group launched the Cameroon Association of National Language Broadcasters.

Another outcome of this partnership between Radio Eden FM and WACC is a database of rural and local stations in the North West and South West regions, with particular emphasis on the stations that use local languages.

For further details contact: Zachee Nzoh-Ngandembou, Eden Radio FM 98.1 Esta dirección electrónica esta protegida contra spambots. Es necesario activar Javascript para visualizarla

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