The press in my country Cameroon is not free at all - at least not the press that criticises the government in place. Since 1990, a number of laws are in place that ended censorship and supposedly instituted free speech. But in the wake of these laws, government has been doing everything to ensure that existing media houses that criticise it are squeezed out of business through prohibitive tax laws and increased prices for media inputs such as newsprint, in short all printing equipment. Prohibitive excise duty and non tax breaks for media houses ensure that newspapers in Cameroon are priced out of the reach of ordinary Cameroonian readers. For example, in most West and Central African countries, 24-page newspapers cost 100 FCFA, i.e. about US25 cents whereas in Cameroon, 12-page newspapers (almost all private newspapers in Cameroon are 12 page) cost 400 FCFA, (about US1 dollar). This price is far beyond the reach of most Cameroonians who live below US1 dollar a day. Media establishments are taxed the same as any other businesses with no tax breaks and no preferential tariffs for telephone, fax, internet etc. The intention here is to make it impossible for private media houses to exercise the press freedom that is supposed to be existing in the country. As one independent journalist put it: "What is the use saying the press is free when government is doing everything to kill the media outlets through which that freedom can be expressed? It is the same as saying someone is free to speak his/her mind but making sure the one's mouth is stitched/glued". Chief Bisong Etahoben

the press in the uk as free as they want to be if they want to keep their jobs working for murdoch