The new president of the National Communication Council, NCC, has been tasked to go above its traditional mission to regulate social communication and fiercely fight the phenomenon of hate and misinformation on traditional media platforms and contribute to the consolidation of Cameroon’s democratic process.
The instructions were handed down to Joseph Chebonkeng Kalabubse by the Prime Minister, Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute. The Head of Government was speaking at the Star Building while commissioning Chebonkeng into his new functions.
Dion Ngute challenged the new president to pay close watch to vices such as hate speech, misinformation which the traditional media have fallen prey to and ensure the media plays its watchdog role against the propagation of such vices and fake news.
“…beyond its purely regulatory mission, the National Communication Council is required to further reflect on sensitive issues such as the promotion of the ideals of peace, democracy, freedom, human rights, as well as the protection of children and vulnerable social groups through the media,” Dion instructed, while challenging the new president to pay attention to ensuring the respect of professional codes of ethics and deontology.
Dion told the new NCC boss to be a team player in other to succeed in his daunting missions including contribution to national unity and integration, promotion of local languages, fight against confrontation and consolidation of the democratic process in Cameroon.
Speaking after his installation, Chebonkeng thanked God for the opportunity to serve the country again and the Head of State for appointing him. “I believe that we must work to clean up the media landscape in Cameroon…I therefore commit to clean up the media landscape because there are many things happening in the country that are not tolerable…” the new NCC boss said.
“The rules are there, we will apply them firmly if necessary…we will educate, we will cajole, we will sanction if need be because this is an honorable profession, that of journalism. We inform, educate and entertain, we have to do that with the social responsibility which is that of the press…,” the new NCC boss said. “Be a journalist till the end. We don’t want charlatans in such an honorable profession as journalism which leads to all and that society admires with great pride,” he added.
Chebonkeng with three decades experience in takes over from ace journalists, Peter Essoka. The installation took place in the presence of some ministers and general managers of some state corporations including SOPECAM and CRTV. He will manage a media landscape of over 600 newspapers, 100 radio stations, 30 TV channels and about 500 online and tele-distribution structures.
By Doh Bertrand Nua
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