Cameroonian contents not getting international recognition: The unending warfare that exists between realities vs expectations and the way forward.

.So when we don’t have Cameroonian contents making it to the international scene who is to be blamed ? The entertainers , industry stake holders or the potential audience? The whole idea appears complex because there’s an unending warfare that exists between the reality that is and the expectation that isn’t and will hardly ever be!

A good number of countries around Africa have used entertainment to boost their economy via international collaborative partnerships, endorsement deals and for a fact its becoming one of the biggest sector in recent times. But the Cameroon government and industry stakeholders seem to be very far from this , rather imposing jaw falling and back breaking overwhelming limitations via conventions. Its every entertainer’s dream to make it at a local level then level up internationally and of course dreams do come through but we forget nightmares are dreams too!

Talking about nightmares – that one that concerns breaking through in Cameroon, if you succeed in Cameroon there’s a high probability you can succeed elsewhere. But why then do we succeed to a greater degree locally but no international recognition ? Why do acts around other African countries get picked up for nominations , shows , deals and performances and we are found wanting?

THÉ UNENDING WARFARE BETWEEN REALITY AND EXPECTATIONS.THÉ REALITY.

•Now Cameroon has a population of about 26, 689,491 million people as per Tuesday September 22nd, 2020 with urbanisation stats at 56% with close to 7.87 million people as internet users with a penetration rate of 30%. •Mobile phone connections stands at 23.62 million people vs a population 90%.

•Active social media users stands at 3.70million people with a penetration rate of 14%.•Population aged 13 and above stands at 63% 16.4 million people, population aged 18 and above stands at 51% -13.4 million people and population aged 16 to 64 ,53%- 13.8 million people.•Total number of internet users on any device is 7.87 million people.•Internet users as a percentage of total population is 30%.•Mobile internet users reference: share of social media users accessing via mobile phones stands at 97%.•Total number of active social media users stands at 3.70 million people and social media users compared to the total population is 14% while the percentage of those active social media users accessing via mobile stands at 97%.

FACEBOOK AUDIENCE OVERVIEW •Number of people that Facebook reports can be reached with adverts on Facebook are 3.50million people.•Facebook reported advertising reach compared to total population aged 13+ is 21%•Percentage of Facebook users accessing via any kind of mobile phone is 97.3% and those who access only through mobile phones stands at 90.0%.•Percentage of Facebook users who only access via a laptop or desktop computer stands at 2.7%

INSTAGRAM AUDIENCE OVERVIEW •Number of people that Instagram reports can be reached with adverts on Instagram stands at 390.0 thousand people.•Instagram reported advertising reach compared to total population aged 13+ stands 2.4%TWITTER AUDIENCE OVERVIEW •Number of people that Twitter reports can be reached with adverts on Twitter is 110.0 thousand. •Twitter reported advertising reach compared to total population aged 13+ is 0.7%

LINKEDIN AUDIENCE OVERVIEW.•Number of people that LinkedIn reports can be reached with adverts on LinkedIn stands at 640 thousand people.•LinkedIn’s reported advertising reach compared to total population aged 13+ stands at 4.8%.If you will have to consider promoting your arts you have to take into consideration these platforms in which to use with high monetary inputs for effective and efficient results. Now with statistics like these the reality is how many people actually own email addresses that after watching a video online on YouTube will subscribe ? How many actually take time to understand streaming platforms before owning accounts on those platforms and the benefits and advantages that surround the whole universe?

𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨. How much is the income of an average Cameroonian youth that he/she will be willing to subscribe to reasonable data plans to consume digital products ? Or financially back their media presence with the purchasing power of consuming arts? The media age of Cameroonians stands at 18.7 with male and female constituting 50% each as per percentage of the total population. Their incomes fluctuate around 35-45k a month not even enough to sustain up keep before miscellaneous. Percentage of the population aged 15+ that reports owning or using each financial product or service. •27% percent of Cameroonian youths have account with financial institutions. •3.0% have credit cards •15% have mobile money accounts •5.6% make online purchase and pay bills.Now that’s what we have to know about streaming and purchasing arts online mostly movies and music

.𝙇𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙.To be realistic how many even master these platforms , social networks and social media handles put at our disposal to ease our digital lives and make content easily accessible. Many people are willing to consume an entertainer’s project online but the actual fact is they don’t know how to go about it! The literacy rate as concerns an overview of the population stands at 77% ie adults from the age of 15+ with te female literacy rate at 72% at age 15+ and for males 83% at age 15+.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙩𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙨.In a country where communication companies like MTN, ORANGE and NEXTELL are fighting for the leadership position but services won’t actually prove soin disant titles. There are always loopholes and break downs I’ll it comes to optic fibres and all over reoccurring complains. With an internet penetration rate as low as it is how do those who are interested and have the purchasing power do to consume these arts? Average speed of mobile internet connections stands at 16.85 MBPS.Average speed of fixed internet connections 9.24 MBPS will online streaming platforms like NETFLIX do well here ?

𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙨.A saddening reality is the conscious refusal to market our arts mainly because we don’t want to understand the Show business, secondly because we are not willing to spend and to a greater degree there are no investors or sponsors to arts who will single handedly take it to the next level either based on poor content or shades that follow contracts afterwards. Top YouTube search queries are hardly ever Cameroonian related contents, see stats below of the search stats of what Cameroonians check online.1•Film2•Dadju 3•Film complet en Français 4•Cameroun 5•Love 6•Music 7•Fally8•Arafat9•Musique 10• Dj Arafat11•Fally Ipupa12•TAKAM13•Locko14•XXL15•NYANGONO16•BAOS17• Gospel18•NYANGONO du sud 19• Maître Gims 20•Katalina Another reality is the population and audience are not really ready to consume home made products. I’m talking with statistics the top 10 searches and most streamed songs on YouTube this 2020 are not from Cameroon. The most visited websites from Cameroon are not our content related, the few internet users spend time on other things. Now see this statistics the most visited websites in Cameroon as presented by ALEXA- websites with average monthly ranking.1• Google.com – 12minutes 9seconds2• YouTube.com – 11minutes 44seconds 3• Yahoo.com – 4minutes4•Google.com – 5minutes5•Google.fr -5mins 6•Wikipedia.org -3minutes 7•Facebook.comb- 17minutes 8•CM1XBET.cm -2minutes 9•Premierbet.cm -3mins10•Cameroon-info.net- 5mins11•Savefrom.net -3mins12•Alibaba.com – 7mins13• Bongacams.com – 3mins 14• Camerounweb.com – 7mins 15• Actucameroun.com -7mins16•Stackoverflow.com- 5mins17•Microsoft.com -3mins18• Minajobs.net – 6mins19• Google video – 2mins 20• Postlink.com – 0mins 5secs

𝙂𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙩𝙝 Then we have a government with little or no policies that help the Entertainment sector. There’s no visible law that prioritizes the consumption of home made contents and no firewalls placed to curb the influx of foreign contents, so anyone can do anything and still get away with it.

THE EXPECTATIONS

I am an entertainer I drop my content [music/movie] and Cameroonian promoters will pick it up because I believe in support your own. I really don’t have to bother contacting this platforms to promote my arts because they need me to provide content. You haven’t actually done a feasibility to see how good your music is vis a vis a niche but you blame promoters for not picking up your content to share until you get desired results, but the question is do you have a identifiable audience ? Promoters don’t generate views , link clicks, a loyal fan base as the misconception of expectation when paying for a service. The only think obviously guaranteed and it’s logical is The visibility and awareness you get off a promotional platform- from there your content can be eventually fetch a fan and why not the desired streams subsequently Your expectations vague as asking a platform to promote you without giving them content, no website that sells you, no press kit, no self constructed info that can be picked from anywhere to readily use for your promo and intend consumption.

The expectation is wanting to appear for nominations on awards and bookings for shows when you don’t actually exist as an entity of fully branded structure. Etc…

THE WAY FORWARD

Enrolling in courses and programs that teach more about the music business or all other sustainable developmental projects that are related to the growth of showbiz.

Designing and structuring business plans to soliciting sponsoring from substantial investors and sophisticated structures that are willing to make your business plan a reality. [musically though]

Doing feasibility studies on how attainable your objectives of making it in an ever competitive Entertainment industry vis a vis building a brand and image that will sell you upfront. Soliciting partnership ,

GoFundMe initiatives that will help boost your career. Most acts around the world in recent times are using crowdfunding to accomplish and evacuate projects with little or no efforts. There exist a good number of ways we can make our content global within few days but we are generally not willing to step out of our comfort zones by applying hard work to make it work. Hard work entails learning the basics and fundamentals and equally consulting those who have been there, if we can’t make it locally it will hardly ever be possible to make globally. We need to be conscious of this fact, you can’t give what you don’t have.