We must take media development seriously

A Kenyan friend sent me pictures of front pages of local language newspapers from Uganda that he found on Nairobi streets. It seemed like we were a nation at war.

Then there were stories of arrest of journalists and beating. He wondered, is it that bad? It seemed as if, Uganda is the worst place for a journalist to be.

And how did this happen? How does this impact on Journalism and Media Studies as a field of study?

What are the implications for young people who aspire to study journalism, and training institutions?
Not only is journalism being criminalised systematically - it is being dehumanised and made a hazardous profession. Various actors in the media industry have made some demands on the state and for authorities to investigate various incidents.
Kin Kariisa, the chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, has called for amicable settlement of differences between the State and media as well as the need for justice. The media was liberalised in 1992. We witnessed the exponential growth of the industry in the 1990s, which remains sustained.

Whereas questions of meaningful diversity, independence and professionalism are difficult to settle, at least access to information through the media is something few Ugandans are denied, regardless of their locale.

In response to this growth, various pieces of legislation were put in place, to regulate the growing industry. Some enabling, others punishing and in need of reform.
Article 29 of the 1995 Constitution guarantees freedom of the press and other media, although one might question the practical reach of the Constitution.
The Press and Journalist Act, 1995 and the Uganda Communications Commission Act, 2013 provide for regulation of the press and other media, among other laws.

The two laws created the Media Council and Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), whose functions are clear.

Yet, it is tempting to wonder about what role these institutions responsible for regulating should play. In a liberalised environment, what is the role of the State?
One must look beyond the perceived misbehaviour of the press and other media, and more to the attitude of major state actors toward the media.

The perceived differences between the State and Media would be minimised if those in government understood the media, its role and contribution to society.

The regulatory institutions need to do more than hear out complaints and collect licence fees from media owners.

They need to do much more than monitor media or ban journalists from practicing for wrongdoing.

They need to actively ensure a favourable business environment for the media, including safety of journalists, because that is a basic economic fundamental for liberalisation.

The media in this country is largely private, thus it is a business like any other, for which we labour to create a conducive environment.
Moreover, it is a unique kind of business - one that deals in the provision of a public good-information, that is critical for development.
The media, on the other hand, must understand its role and perform it professionally as well as respond to challenges of global communication and technological advancement influencing the way media operates. This professionalism, however, is only possible to the extent that the State respects freedom of the press and other media.
President Museveni’s desire is that media report development issues and act as agents of social transformation, but first, we must take media development seriously for that to happen. If nothing is done, the current environment will discourage people from allowing their children to study Journalism and Media Studies and scare potential students.

It took me years to return to journalism, my passion, because my family lived in an era in which journalists disappeared. To them, journalism was too risky a profession and no place for women.
The implications of harassment of journalists for educators, citizens and investors is huge. As educators, we do our best to train journalists for ethical and professional practice.

But what happens in practice, is largely dependent on the environment. The health of the media in any society should be the concern of its citizens.

Dr Maractho is an academic and researcher. [email protected]