WORLD PRESS TRENDS - World Association of Newspapers

CAMEROON
Media consumption
(minutes per day)
1998
Newspapers 30
Magazines 45
Radio 324
Television 138
Internet 20
Internet publishing (No. of online editions)
1998
Non-dailies 1
Cover prices (1999)
CFAF
Single copy 200-300
Subscription per copy 160-225
Employment
1998
Total no. of journalists 242
Total no. of employees 478
Top newspapers (1998)
Circulation Readership Cover Price Full page rate (CFAF)
Title Publisher (000) (000) CFAF US$ Format Mono Colour
Le Messager Piur NJawe 12 120 300 0.49 Tabloid 275,000 330,000
Cameroon Tribune SOPECAM 7 70 300 0.49 Tabloid 300,000 350,000
Nouvelle Expression Severin Tchounkia 10 100 300 0.49 Tabloid 250,000 275,000
Only newspapers published at least three times a week have been taken into account here. Generally
each copy of a newspaper is read by at least 10 people
Top ten advertising categories (1998) Top ten publishing companies (1998) Top ten advertisers (1998)
Advertising sector % of display ad revenue (ranked by total circulation) Advertiser
Batting/gaming 33.0 Le Messager Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMUC)
Drinks 30.0 Cameroon Tribune Union des Brasseries du Cameroun (UCB)
Tobacco 12.0 La Nouvelle Expression Cameroon Foot Pools
Government 7.0 Mutations Brasseries du Cameroun
Cars 5.0 The Herald SITABAC
Food 5.0 Dikalo SONARA
Real estate 3.0 Le Patriole B.A.T.
Transport 3.0 L’Effort Camerounais Centrale Voyages
Computers 1.5 Aurore Plus Camlait
Fashion 0.5 Ouest Echos Honiq Cube
Source: Le Messager Source: Le Messager Source: Le Messager
ADVERTISING EXPENDITURE & ECONOMIC DATA
Advertising expenditure (%)
1998
Newspapers 22
Television 36
Radio 27
Other 15
Total 100
Main available economic indicators 1995-2001
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
1 US$= 733.04 CFAF at 2001 rate
Population
Millions 13.3 13.6 14.3 14.4 14.6 14.9 15.2
Consumer Price Index
2001=100 85.6 89.0 93.2 96.2 97.7 95.6 100.0
% change 13.9 3.9 4.8 3.2 1.5 -2.1 -
Source: IFS, ZenithOptimedia
Research
Circulation is audited by: In 1998 circulation was audited by a
collaboration of the Cameroon Union of Journalists (UJC) and
the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
Readership is measured by: No independent readership survey
exists.
Taxes
VAT on:
sales 0 advertising 18.7%
newsprint 0 plant 18.7%
composition 0 (standard VAT rate 18.7%)
There is a 2% tax on all advertising, except bill posting, which
varies according to the size of the bill board:
less than 1m 2 = CFAF 200
1m 2 to 2m 2 = CFAF 300
more than 2m 2 = CFAF 500 for each additional m 2
Newspapers pay 38.5% tax on profits, as do all companies. All
materials used in composing newspapers, e.g. paper, film, etc.,
are exempt from all taxes in accordance with the Florence
Convention.
Equipment and consumer goods purchased for the media were
made exempt from VAT in May 2002 as part of the government’s
“communications renewal” policy. Over 200 items are included
such as paper, ink, computer equipment and telephony (source:
Reporters without borders: Cameroon Annul report 2002).
Sales revenues are exempt from VAT, but VAT on advertising
revenues is 18.7%.
Discounts
on: post 0 rail 0 telephone 0 telegraph 0 telex 0
Ownership
In December 1990 the law was changed to permit private
competition in the broadcast media. So far, however, the
markets have seen no private entrants, so TV and radio are still
state monopolies.
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WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS - WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2003