Advancement in Information and Communications Technology has led to an unprecedented liberalization of the flow of information. Mainstream media is facing stiff competition from non traditional media such as the internet with news websites and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. The revolution of the media has led to collateral damage to journalism, burying the “fourth estate” in oblivion in the social and political matters of Uganda.
The “fourth estate” refers to professional journalism charged with the duty of observing the political process,directing public opinion and influencing the outcome of elections. The fourth estate is expected to keep the government, members of parliament and big business enterprises in check by keeping the public informed. The media should be independent and in public service since it provides political and social information to the public influencing social issues by telling the story and casting a spotlight on issues affecting people’s lives.
The quality of information contained in the content available to the Ugandan public has been compromised by partisan politics and propaganda-ism. Journalism has been infiltrated by mediocrity particularly on the non traditional media that is news websites and social media. Mainstream media is struggling to survive and remain relevant in an era of the internet. This has come at a cost, with social media platforms abused by the weak and myopic minds to spread hate, for example armchair activists such as Stella Nyanzi and Joseph Kabuleta who used Facebook for offensive communication and exposed themselves to the Computer Misuse Act. These are character murderers who subject the president and his government to senseless criticism using vulgar language, false information and extortion. They have contributed to the death of journalism.
Self styled journalists and mainstream media houses are obsessed with breaking news that they reportedly broadcast in real-time. According to Uganda Christian University academician, Mr. Donald Kamugisha,
“punditry and lazy investigative reporting packaged as opinionated debate and molded around inaccurate hypothesis and conspiracy with limited research without sourced resources and slot of lecherous breaking news yet very limited insight has killed journalism”.
Mainstream media outlets published false information relating to the electoral reforms being tabled before parliament. The media published a number of misrepresentations on the contents of the proposed bills with journalists concocting their own clauses in the bill. Many reported their own opinions instead of reporting factual news.
Sensationalism and yellow journalism with events and topics in news stories over hyped to present biased impressions on events, manipulating the truth of the story for instance a prominent newspaper featured a sensational headline about a 30 years old man jailed 20 years for stealing ugx. 7,000 neglecting the fact that the crime was aggravated and almost led to the death of an innocent bread winner.
Many media outlets do little to inform and educate, but substitute accuracy for sensationalism to capture public headlines and sell newspapers demonstrating a shambolic trend of yellow journalism that is catastrophic to the fourth estate in Uganda.
False news with deliberate misinformation and hoaxes,a habit of a local tabloid know as the Red Pepper Publications. The unethical practice of check book journalism. The intention of false news is often political undermining serious media coverage for instance the politicization of a certain local musician’s death by the people power movement and Mr. Wine with deceptive narratives by various media outlets pertaining the circumstances around the young man’s accidental death.
The death of the fourth estate explains the current wave of hate speech and sectarianism troubling the nation. It’s the reason why the youth have been exposed to political opportunists such as Mr. Wine and the disgraced Stella Nyanzi.
