The minister of Information Technology and Communication, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze has prayed for training of all journalists if the remuneration of press men and women is to improve.
The minister was speaking at the 2018 annual broadcasters’ conference organized by Uganda communication commission, UCC at Imperial Royale Hotel, Kampala. According to Tumwebaze, if the companies have on job training for journalists, this could improve proper content delivery
“If we want to have very good educative content, I appeal to you to train our young people. When we train them, the question of pay will also improve. Let’s train our journalists, not everybody who holds a camera and a pen is a journalist” Tumwebaze said.
He further appealed to media houses to invest in their journalists to equip them with the basic necessary knowledge about the different sectors, to enable them discuss/moderate issues with authority.
“Let us look at the quality of content we send out, let us look at the quality of people we put behind the microphones, let us have on job training for the young people because content is very key.”
Hon. Tumwebaze also blasted media houses that broadcast fake news in a wake of any breaking News. “The root cause of false news is that you broadcasters don't want to read and dig for the truth, but choose to listen to each and everyone who seems informed, some of the people commenting on different issues are not even professionals in these fields” he commented.
The conference brings together heads of broadcasting companies like Radio and Television networks. Currently, Uganda has 292FM radio stations, and 35 Televisions licensed to operate.
This year’s theme ran under the theme; "Broadcasting in Uganda trends and observations."
Kin Kariisa, the chairman National Broadcasting association also said that government needs to put up more efforts to stop what he termed as “some unrealistic content” running on some media houses, yet nothing is being done.
“It is true we have relative media freedom but we better use it within the framework of our laws” he said.
MR. Kariisa also blamed government officials for m=not turning up to defend its position when contacted for interviews. This followed a complaint by Hon. Tumwebaze that opposition members are always on radio and TV making noise.
According to Kariisa, the opposition is ever available when called.
UCC Executive Director, Eng. Godfrey Mutabazi warned that all unregistered online media houses and websites will be closed down. “This is no longer a secret, it is time for serious action” he warned.
He also promised to take action against pastors who have opened TV stations specifically to attack one another, that they will be action against that.
“Some pastors have used religious media houses as a battle ground for attacking others on air, it is unfortunate. Though in our Culture once the matter is religious you go slow, I here to inform you that we are going to take serious action” Mutabazi said.
