This summary article has been written by Edwin Nfor, our African research correspondent. Edwin is doing a PhD thesis on the Cameroon Anglophone crisis in the University of Jyväskylä.

The study entitled “Journalism and secessionism: A contextual analysis of reporting in the Cameroon Anglophone crisis” was coauthored by Patience B. Fai and Jonathan Stubbs from Cyprus International University examines the framing of the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon through the lens of journalistic reporting. To achieve this, the research employs Kuypers‘ (2010) evolving rhetorical approach to framing, which emphasizes the multifaceted nature of framing within journalism.

Framing, as defined by Entman (1993,) encompasses the selection and highlighting of specific aspects of a perceived reality to advance problem definitions, causal interpretations, moral evaluations, and treatment recommendations.

This approach underscores various levels of agenda setting in framing, ranging from the identification of themes within news narratives to an in-depth understanding of how these themes are framed.

The research employs a content analysis of 1,332 news articles sourced from two prominent Cameroonian newspapers: the state-owned Cameroon Tribune and the privately-owned The Post. These newspapers are selected to represent different perspectives on the Anglophone crisis, with Cameroon Tribune often aligned with the government’s agenda and The Post frequently critical of government actions.

The articles span the period from the onset of the crisis in October 2016 to October 2018. Due to the challenging circumstances imposed by the crisis, including government-imposed curfews and secessionist-led “ghost town” protests, the research primarily relies on online sources.

The thematic coding of the articles aims to uncover the main topics and issues covered in the reporting, while also examining the prominence given to the crisis subject within the articles. Additionally, the study explores the primary sources of information, the use of verbatim quotations, and the types of articles employed.

The research reveals that the most prominent themes in the reporting of the Anglophone crisis are “Solution” (26.5%) and “Violence” (23.1%). This suggests that a significant focus is placed on both defining the problems associated with the crisis and exploring potential remedies or solutions.

Over 50% of the articles featured the subject of the crisis either in the headline or within the first three paragraphs, underscoring the perceived importance of the crisis as a topic of reporting.

Journalists or media organizations were identified as the primary sources of information in 36.1% of the articles, followed closely by government or official sources at 32%. This distribution indicates a relatively high degree of journalistic independence, as journalists played a substantial role in shaping the framing of the news.

A noteworthy finding is that a majority of the articles (57.1%) lacked verbatim quotations, suggesting that journalists significantly contributed to the framing of news reports, rather than merely relying on direct quotes from sources.

The majority of the articles (75.8%) followed an episodic event reporting format, indicating that journalists were actively engaged in reporting on specific events related to the crisis.

The study’s findings suggest that both newspapers, Cameroon Tribune and The Post, adopted elements of solutions journalism in their reporting. While they addressed the challenges posed by the crisis, they also sought to explore potential solutions, thereby reflecting a more comprehensive approach to journalism. This aligns with User‘s (2022) definition of solutions journalism as a practice that not only highlights problems but also examines possible remedies accurately.

Moreover, the research indicates a relatively high level of journalistic independence in framing the Anglophone crisis. Journalists and media organizations served as primary sources of information, and verbatim quotations were limited in many articles, suggesting that journalists played a significant role in shaping the narrative.

However, it’s important to note that this research primarily focuses on two newspapers, and the dominance of Cameroon Tribune in the dataset could skew the results. However this research offers valuable insights into how the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon was framed by the media. It highlights the adoption of solutions journalism, the importance accorded to the crisis subject, and the significant role played by journalists in shaping the framing of news articles.

The article “Journalism and secessionism: A contextual analysis of reporting in the Cameroon Anglophone crisis.” by Patience B. Fai and Jonathan Stubbs is in Journalism (available access).

Picture: Untitled by Edouard Tamba.

License Unsplash.