Abstract

The main objective of this study is to assess how freedom of speech has created an impact on the media. Specifically, the study sought to examine the role of Governments and other institutions in influencing Freedom of Speech on Medias, to investigate the role of Propaganda in influencing Freedom of Speech on Medias and to assess the role of Threats in influencing Freedom of Speech on Medias.

This study was conducted in Buea and questionnaires were administered to media practitioners in Buea. A convenient sampling technique was used to select media practitioners to take part in this study and 20 media personnel filled the questionnaires.

Results from findings revealed that there are laws set by the Government of Cameroon guiding media content. Also, findings reveal that the Cameroon Government does promote freedom of speech. People who talk against the government are either suspended or sent to prison. This study recommends that the Government of Cameroon should promote the practice of freedom of speech because in a truly democratic nation freedom of speech should be encouraged.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction

Everyone has the right to freedom of speech and expression; this right requires freedom to hold views without intervention and, by all media and regardless of barriers, to explore, obtain and transmit knowledge and ideas (Carlsson and Weibull, 2018). But, People have been deprived of the rights to freedom of speech and from most studies in the world today, it shows that the media is actually the most been affected through efforts of propaganda (Désir, 2018).

Therefore, in this research we are trying to investigate the role of social media in enhancing freedom of speech. Since many Medias are being affected by political discrimination which decides what Medias have to say and those Medias who go against those political rules given to them, turn to face closure or they are secretly being asked to shut down (Limpitlaw, 2012).

1.1 Background to the study

Globalization has brought many changes to the world in terms of technology. The Media are now equipped with more advanced and sophisticated equipment to provide fast and reliable information. This has made the world a small place to live in. but the reality is that the Medias are seriously under threats due to the information that they transmit to the community and the world at large.

Carlsson & Weibull (2018) in their study of public opinion in Sweden, they called for Freedom of Expression in the Digital Media Culture. As such, they claimed that Digital technology has democratized the public sphere because these new technologies have brought problems to the media. For example, the new technologies brought discrimination and limitations to Media’s affairs. Particularly, it was problematic since it created an adverse relationship between freedom of expression and personal privacy.

Most importantly, SIDA (2005) the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, aims to affirm freedom of speech in developed nations in such a manner that every human being’s freedom to self-expression can be and that the right to education can be realized. The Organization have worked to ensure that access to large and varied media events can be a certainty, that diverse voices are heard and that knowledge could reach the general public. But during the 1990s, political circumstances hindered economic liberalization and altered the reach of the media to work and expand in many developed countries.

This hindered both the people and the media from getting the right of freedom of expression. The Organisation then fought for liberalisation which was designed to increase support for freedom of expression. Therefore, due to those actions, Independent newspapers and broadcasting stations have been created, boosting open debate, knowledge distribution and state and society scrutiny.

And also agreeing to SIDA (2005), when trying to access the level of freedom of speech when dealing with Radio stations, it has been discovered that there are some restrictions for more realistic efforts in the fight for freedom speech and this includes affairs like advertisement rules. In this case there are discriminations on how an advertisement should be done since very little or no specific analysis of the content of the program is presented to public (Weibull, Wadbring & Ohlsson, 2017).

But on another note, The Council of Europe (2020) in their Research Concerning threats to media freedom and journalists’ security in Europe claim that Dozens of journalists are sexually abused, wrongly detained and even killed, most of whom remain unpunished for those offences. There are attacks, intimidation, legal and institutional limitations, and excessive political and economic pressure against journalists. Therefore, the Council of Europe is requesting for all Member States of the European Council to effectively guarantee the protection of journalists by establishing an atmosphere conducive to the freedom of the media and avoid cases of no democracy, which can impair that freedom. Furthermore, Journalists’ right to defend their information must be guaranteed, police brutality against journalists must be denounced and punishments must be stringently enforced against any violation of media freedom.

Furthermore, Limpitlaw (2012 ) Looked at the fact that there are lots of difficulties faced by broadcasting studios which includes schedules, squeezed budgets, scarce technological and library infrastructure, impatient managers, production challenges and stringent media rules, to say nothing of news issues that are frequently, if not overly violent, suspicious of politicians and government officials.

This has created a complicated work environment as explained by the writer, and which is not easy for journalists to deal with. But to a wider context, most journalists’ work represents how they communicate with each other as people, which is a reflection of how well their culture works and should not be deprived of the basics they need to ensure their work is done properly. Given the concepts of engagement that apply to the government and us, people are carried over to how broad social structures (Governments) communicate with people.

But statistics has proven that, Governments are somehow against the Medias and don’t portray any efforts of relationship between the two. Thus, by looking at whether it protects its people and its media, you can say a lot about the state of a country’s government, such as its less commitment to democracy, economic and social progress.

Similarly, Mijatović (2014) from an OSCE overview (The Representative on Freedom of the Media Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) in Vienna, Austria explained that Propaganda and Freedom of the Media has become a widespread issue in Ukraine, the rest of Europe and across the world.

Governments may be against professional standards of journalism and it is called propaganda for war and hatred to Media workers, and which requires legal action with appropriate measures in accordance with international human rights law. Thus, the organization is claiming that media workers are being black mailed of the certain information that they transmit to the world and have termed this as hatred to humanity and are requesting for stricter international rules and regulations.

Therefore, Désir (2018) brought up the idea that a lot of rules and regulations should be implemented because Medias face significant problems that may involve the control of the Internet, hate speech, jihadist/militant messaging, and “fake news” propaganda. Thus, it is necessary to ensure that future policy and regulations should be implemented which will not erode but protect the current liberal environment that has led to the growth of open and vibrant media landscape.

Also, the author insisted that any Internet policy must ensure that it does not have a detrimental effect on freedom of speech and that it is completely in accordance with international principles relating to freedom of expression and freedom of the media.

1.2 Statement of the problem

With increasing marketing and far-reaching media integration in their wake, digitization and globalization have changed our communication processes in terms of time, space and social behaviour. With changing roles in management strategies and markets, the context of freedom of speech has changed in several other ways.

Thus, the media are facing threats to freedom of expression and freedom of the Press every day through modern ways of control and suppression by the state, self-censorship, monitoring, surveillance, hate speech, gatekeeping, propaganda-disinformation, acts of violence, and organized crime. Therefore, freedom of access to operation for media has become a vital problem in many nations, especially in areas of social, ethnic and political tension.

1.3 Research Questions

1.3.1 Main Research Question

The main research question of this research is;

How has freedom of speech created an impact on the media?

1.3.2 Specific Research Questions

Other specific research questions are;

1. How have Governments and other institutions influenced Freedom of Speech in media?
2. How has Propaganda influenced Freedom of Speech in media?
3. How have Threats influenced Freedom of Speech in media?

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