There has been a lot of Media hype over the last few weeks following the suspension of 39 journalists for suspected breach of minimum broadcasting standards by selectively instigating violence through their news coverage.
Important to note however is that suspension of diversionary journalists for choosing to irresponsibly play their role but incite violence, is not news as some sections of the law have been invoked world over to bring such culprits to order. Therefore, UCC’s role in this case is not isolated at all.
UCC spokesperson, Ibrahim Bbosa explains;
“As UCC, we suspended these journalists because it’s a normal practice all over the world. If you allow them to operate without any regulation, society will be exposed to so many ills. We’ve seen many countries where Media has been used to perpetuate certain narratives.
Bbosa noted that as a regulator, UCC’s entry point is the content.
“We expect the Media to inform, empower and impact content consumers. We want to make sure that contact is factual, balanced and has to be guided.”
By and large, most journalists of the land have ignored their professional ethics. They have sacrificed them at the altar of self gain.
Many are actually bankrolled by external forces to run their agenda and report partially to discredit democratically elected leaders.
Vision Group’s chief Executive Officer Robert Kabushenga has also added his vooce to the irresponsible reporting mechanisms that half baked journalists of today portray.
“I don’t think we lack media freedom. Uganda is the only country in the world with over 247 FM radio stations and 49 Television stations controlled by private owners. It’s the media houses that abuse their freedom by misrepresenting facts, publicizing lies in a manner likely to mislead or cause alarm to the public,” he said.
With abundant media freedom, journalists in Uganda have exercised utmost liberty. They insult leaders and not even the head of State has been spared.
Such unrestricted media space is actually the reason Uganda can proudly say, ‘yes, we are champions of democracy’. However, a line should be drawn.
A section of media houses, particularly the Luganda radio and television stations, despite caution from UCC, have persistently fuelled ethnic hatred and violence hence compromising the security of the country.
It is on record that Akaboozi Ku Bbiri 87.9 Fm, Capital FM 91.3, Simba 97.3FM, Beat FM 96.3, CBS FM 89.2, Pearl FM, Sapientia FM, Kingdom TV, NBS TV, NTV, Salt TV and BBS TV among others have been cautioned before to relay responsible broadcast messages, to no avail.
During the violent Buganda riot in Kampala in September 2009 where many people lost their lives and property worth millions, the same media houses were closed by Government for inciting violence.
History is indeed a great teacher. Uganda has picked lessons from her neighbors pretty well.
Rwandan errant Kangura newspaper and Radio Mille Collins (RTLM) played a major role in fuelling conflict and promoting violence during the 1994 genocide that left millions dead.
In Kenya, the 2007/8 post-election violence was attributed to local vernacular radio stations broadcasting messages of hate and inciting ethnic hatred.
Regrettably, a few misguided print and broadcast journalists have opted to become ambassadors of partisan reporting and surely, this cant go unchecked. UCC has to invoke its mandate in such regrettable scenarios.
Ugandan Media seems to prefer a lawless, ungovernable and chaotic country like Somalia than a peaceful country that favors professional journalistic space and practice.
Some of these media houses are bankrolled hence manipulated by Opposition politicians and the so- called activists, most of whom are foreign macenaries hired to distablize the country.
As all this unfolds, the general public is watching. UCC says often times, calls for action from the public have been louder over the persistent violation of minimum broadcasting standards by a section of media houses.
If such actions that fuel hate speech and violence go on without being addressed, mayhem and insurgency will be the order of the day; and surely, this is not what many a Ugandan, would want.
