The digital media has been described as a platform with unlimited opportunities for newspaper production and distribution.

ICT experts explained to publishers during their a workshop organized in Yaounde by the Cameroonian Newspaper Publishers Federation (FEDIPRESSE) to educate newspaper publishers on the transition to the digital.

According to Ngah Christian, publisher of the Guardian Post Newspaper, the economic situation of the print media industry has deteriorated considerably, with increases in input prices, declining circulation and sales, and persistent financial struggles of press companies.
He added that the advent of COVID-19 in 2020 further accentuated the situation as the Cameroon print media is heavily reliant on physical newspaper circulation.

During the seminar, publishers up scaled their skills and tools to navigate the digital ecosystem and market.

“There is a misconception that with the rise of social media, that newspapers will disappear. But that is not going to happen, because historically, new media have always posed a challenge to existing media. What we want to do is adapt to these changes,” said Kilian Ngala, publisher of In-depth News, one of the participants.

Like Ngala, many other publishers have embraced the trend of digitalization. In his inaugural lecture titled “Does the Print Media Have a Future?”, Professor Felix Zogo, Secretary-General at the Ministry of Communication, emphasized that the print media has a vast future with many opportunities, and he called on industry actors to explore them.

Overall, the seminar organized by FEDIPRESSE aimed to provide newspaper publishers with the necessary guidance and support to navigate the digital transition and ensure the continued relevance and sustainability of the print media in Cameroon.

Che Tembuck