Journal of Mass Communication & Journalism

Sensationalism in Journalism Practice: Analysis of Private and Public Print Media Coverage of Crisis Situations in Cameroon

Abstract

Kingsley Lyonga Ngange and Forcha Dominic Elempia

Newspapers in Cameroon are increasingly attempting to lure audience and increase readership amidst stiff competition. This competition for audience and the attempt to set the agenda for the public have made many media houses to implore controversial techniques of presentation of news such as sensitive and captivating headlines, shocking images, emotional headlines, rumours, obscenity and a reduced emphasis on verification. This research examines the Cameroon print media landscape and provides empirical evidence of the presence of sensationalism in the Cameroon press and more particularly during crisis situations. A content analysis of ‘The Post Newspaper’, ‘The Guardian Post Newspaper’, and ‘Cameroon Tribune Newspaper’ is done, based on the theoretical underpinnings of the Social Responsibility theory, which highlights media’s obligations to the public. While the private press is more sensational, the public press, due to its status, tends to calm down things by using very mild tones and at times avoiding to report on controversial or crisis situations or paying less emphasis on them. The findings from 102 issues analysed reveal that the private press is notorious for using emotional headlines, rumours, imagery and very hard tone especially when it comes to criticising Government action during crisis situations. Some of the reasons which motivate sensationalism, like competition, financial gains and political leanings, have been revealed in the study. Thus, the research concludes that in addition to the many causes of sensationalism practices in journalism, the media is more likely to be sensational when it sympathises with a particular course during crisis situations. The major recommendation is that need exists for the Cameroon press to respect the basic canons of the profession (accuracy, fairness, balance and objectivity) in reporting, especially during crisis situations.