According to Roger Stone, the Media is either evil or lazy and for most part, it is both evil and lazy. That is why some of their truth must be put to test.
Early this month, Ghetto TV, an online broadcast whose news value is questionable alleged that a one Nobert Ariho, a security operative attempted to kill Hon Robert Kyagulanyi during his campaign trail in Jinja. Later the Police identified him as a member of Kyagulanyi’s inner circle security detail and launched investigations into the case.
This clearly demonstrated that the attempted assassination by an explosive was deliberately stage managed by Kyagulanyi’s camp, probably for public sympathy or to ignite the public into senseless bloodshed.
This situation went viral and several people using different social media platforms denounced NUP’s camp for ignorantly soliciting public sympathy.
However, Canary Mugume, an NBS investigative reporter, later came up with his own version denouncing the Police account of the Ghetto TV and went ahead to accuse the police of owning the grenade.
He demonstrated by tracing the grenade in slow motion to show that it had been shot towards Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi. He also demonstrated that the said Ariho who was close to Hon Kyagulanyi was not aware of the grenade as he was allegedly captured laughing.
Sadly, NBS TV news editors allowed Canary to insult the public with what he consciously knew was false.
It is public knowledge that most double-edge journalists with the help of digital technology manipulates video or audio recordings by making them appear real and end up broadcasting something that’s not accurate to suit their foreign funders’ interests.
Back to Canary Mugume, he should note that freedom of expression and the free Press is not absolute in any society including the advanced democracies in the world.
This therefore explains why some media reports must be checked and crosschecked; some must be taken with a pinch of salt to seek to know the ideology, interest, hidden intention and bias of the broadcaster, editor or the Media organisation.
Canary Mugume has a record for mocking police. On 6th August 2019, he took his camera and a tape measure to Kyabando Kisalosalo along Northern By-pass in Kampala to investigate and also disaprove Police wrong, on the claims that Michael Alinda aka Ziggy Wine, a People Power supporter had not died of an accident at the time when social media was awash with rumours that the late had been arrested and tortured by police before his death.
Some media practitioners need to realize the sensitive nature of some issues, with respect to national interests which requires to verify information before going public.
It is in the interest of Ugandans to be fed with balanced, accurate and factual news by media practitioners. It is only in Uganda where media quacks gather and relay unverified gossip and it is taken as gospel truth by the gullible public.
According to Wikipedia, journalism is guided by principles which among others include honesty, truth and fairness.
“It is unacceptable to report information known to be false, or report facts in a misleading way to give a wrong impression other viewpoints and sides to a story where these exist. It is unacceptable to slant facts.”
