At launch of 50th anniversary celebration: Communication hails Cameroon Tribune for professionalism, resilience.

He was speaking while launching weeklong activities to mark 50 years of Cameroon Tribune’s existence.

Activities lined up for the week are: Open Door Days, a scientific symposium, excursions and a medal award event that will culminate in a gala evening.

The event took place at the head office of the Cameroon News and Publishing Corporation, SOPECAM, in the Mvan vicinity of Yaounde.  The event saw in attendance six members of government.

 Some of the ministers at yesterday’s event were; the Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reforms, Joseph Le, who is also chairperson of the Board of Directors of SOPECAM; the Minister of Public Contracts; Ibrahim  Talba Mala; the Minister of Labour and Social  Security, Gregoire Owona; the Minister of  Employment and Vocational Training; Issa  Tchiroma Bakary and the Minister of State, Minister of Higher  Education, Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo. 

The Director General of the Cameroon Radio Television, Charles Ndongo, also attended the ceremony.

Also present were members of the diplomatic corps as well as publishers from other countries, invited to live the weeklong anniversary celebration.

Calls for dedication, commitment 

Despite saluting the outstanding exploit of the newspaper in 50 years, Minister Emmanuel Sadi said there is need for more commitment and dedication to beat the challenges ahead.

The communication minister saluted the work of successive generations that have kept the newspaper alive. He noted that “…Cameroon Tribune is to date considered, without being arrogant, as an element and a source of pride for our country”.

The member of government equally used the opportunity to salute the bilingual nature of the newspaper. 

He said Cameroon Tribune has remained consistent, offering readers content that keeps them abreast with happenings within the country and across the globe.

Need to accelerate digital transformation

He however underscored the need to accelerate the digital transformation of the various components in the production chain, in order to strengthen and confirm Cameroon’s Tribune leadership position in the print media sector in Cameroon.

He challenged management to provide sustainable solutions to the problem of distribution of the newspaper, throughout the territory, so that Cameroonians, wherever they may be, can have access to accurate information.

To achieve this, the minister called for the use of tele-printing, which offers advantages in terms of time savings and physical distance between printing plants.

Cameroon Tribune not a pro-government newspaper

According to the member of government, Cameroon Tribune is not a pro-government newspaper, as some people tend to claim.

He insisted that the government-owned media organ is a daily newspaper published by a public service company, with the State as its sole shareholder.

By virtue of its status, the newspaper, the minister said, must, above all, subscribe to the three essential missions that are incumbent on any public service worldwide that do not necessarily apply to the private sector.

“…the obligation of continuity, which binds it to the principle of regular and uninterrupted provision of services, the principle of equality and neutrality, religious, philosophical, ethnic or cultural affiliation,” he restated, must be upheld.

He also cited the principle of mutability, according to which any public service must evolve in line with technical progress and user needs.

Opportunity to celebrate Biya for press freed

Speaking at Monday’s ceremony, the Director General of SOPECAM, who doubles as Publisher of Cameroon Tribune, Marie Claire Nana, noted that the 50th anniversary of Cameroon Tribune it is an opportunity to celebrate the country’s leader, President Paul Biya.

She said Biya is a democrat, who has through his leadership provided an enabling environment for a free press that thrives.

Cameroon Tribune, Marie Claire Nana said, has been through thick and thin but has been able to stand the test of time. 

This, she said, attests to the democratic nature of the country.

The SOPECAM boss said the presence of national and international publishers and colleagues at the event, was to share experiences. 

Thanks to such an opportunity, she said mutual actions would be taken to address challenges. She admonished foreign guests to enjoy Cameroon’s diversity as they sojourn in the country.

Writing history daily 

“50 years ago, Cameroon Tribune started writing the history, which is in motion which only distinguished personalities have the opportunity to see. For five decades, two generations of men and women, journalists, photographers, cartoonists, drivers and graphic designers among others, have succeeded each other in at SOPECAM,” she said.

Cameroon Tribune in summary

First published on July 1, 1974, Cameroon Tribune has evolved from two separate newspapers, with the French version of 24 pages, published daily and the English version, 16 pages, which was published twice a week; to a bilingual daily of 28 pages. 

In 1993, the newspaper was merged. It became a bilingual daily, publishing articles in the country’s two official languages-English and French, in full colour.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No: 3156 of Tuesday July 02, 2024