Cameroon's National Communication Council (CNC) held its 49th ordinary session on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at its headquarters in Yaoundé. At the end of this session, a dozen sanctions were issued against several media outlets and journalists.
These sanctions are mainly motivated by violations of professional ethics. Among the sanctioned journalists is Philippe Boney, media director of the L'Anecdote Group and host of the "Club d'Elites" program on Vision 4. He has been suspended from practicing journalism for one month. This suspension follows statements made during the broadcasts of February 8 and 15, 2026, deemed to be direct and inappropriate attacks against the Prime Minister, Joseph Dion Ngute, and questioning the integrity of the presidential election. The CNC considered that these remarks were likely to undermine social cohesion and undermine respect for institutions.
The CNC also examined the case of journalists Julienne Bissai and Kamga Domche from Équinoxe TV. The channel and the journalists had been asked to explain themselves following the broadcast of a statement attributed to Issa Tchiroma Bakary calling on Cameroonians to stay at home during the post-election crisis. The CNC finally issued a warning to Équinoxe TV for a lack of balance in the treatment of information.
These sanctions come in a tense post-election context, where the CNC is vigilant about respect for journalistic ethics and deontology. The decision to suspend Philippe Boney is all the more significant as it comes shortly after his appointment as Director General of Media for the L'Anecdote Group.
In addition to these specific cases, the CNC's 49th session resulted in a total of twelve sanction measures, including suspensions, warnings and observation letters. These measures aim to remind media outlets and journalists of the importance of respecting professional rules, particularly with regard to the balance of information and respect for institutions.
