It depends.
On whether you are media or public. This is the first time I have seen the public take on the media in an opinion vote. Thanks to OS Suna, a music artist cum businessman.
The blue corner:
Four media personalities have been remanded in Kitalya for 2 weeks. Mbu Suna reported them to court for maliciously attacking and abusing him without provocation. In short, they defamed him. From my sampling, it appears the public majority supports his action. This is the blue corner.
The red corner:
They all call themselves journalists. As long as they appear on Tv, radio or blog on social media, they say they are the ‘media’ and can’t be sued by a ‘no body’ ffwwaaa.. To them, Suna’s case against the 4 individuals is a case against the Ugandan media. They have been sucked in the battle of wits. This is the red corner.
The court is the referee. I am the ringside commentator.
The battle is gruelling. Suna was gloveless and without a mouthguard when the aggressors in studio first threw punches at him. He left the ring with a bloody face, sunken eyes and swollen lips. All teary. He was knocked down but thankfully, not knocked out.
When he got up, he was desperate to avenge the first round blows. He wanted his tormentators to feel the same pain and so he went for the big one and attempted a knock out with the first punch. He hit the jugular! The entire red corner is now behind bars.
All hell has broken loose. The red corner’s reaction and response has been most unusual. They won’t throw the white towel in the ring but instead crying foul. That their opponent Suna is playing dirty..not by the rules. That big punches like this one are not supposed to be part of the game. That the ground is not level.
Suna has found very unlikely supporters and cheer leaders in the public. As he chest thumps claiming early victory, his fans are in a frenzy.
The red corner however is not relenting. Its saying that for now, Suna’s victory is only temporary, they will win the war. They say they built Suna’s fame and same way they will tear it apart – with their pens, mouths and platforms. They feel humiliated and disrespected. They are the media – above board. The public in the blue corner disagrees.
And so here I am. As the commentator I am the only neutral party here. Once the two boxers entered the ring, it became an official fight. The red corner threw punches but now they are saying it’s wrong for the blue corner to throw punches back. Or at the very least, they prefer they are light punches. I am confused here…
In the blue corner, the fighter wants the red corner to throw the white towel and fight ends there. The red corner swears it can’t happen.
The public gallery behind the blue corner fully supports their fighter, saying that the guys in the red corner over step their boundaries and it was time someone stood up to them with an iron punch.
So I end with these questions;
1). Isn’t there individual responsibility in media speak – that the mistakes of one individual are their own and not the entire industry? How have the 4 individuals who ‘abused’ Suna become the industry?
2). The media has rights and they are fighting to death to protect their space. How about individuals outside the media – doesn’t the constitution guarantee them the same rights to fight for their space and dignity? Who says media rights and freedoms are more important than individual rights and freedoms?
3.) OS Suna. What exactly did they abuse him? What is abuse? Yes, he has a bloody face and all swollen from punches but was it a left hook, right hook, body punch or knock put? Gossip shows are gossip shows. That’s clear. But what constitutes abuse?
4.) Celebrity Suna’s reputation. I am also disturbed by this claim. Who decides your celebrity? What is celebrity? Do people think of Suna any less after those alleged abuses? How do you determine that? I thought that whatever is in a gossip show is gossip…..how can that gossip defame a person? And supposing the gossip is proven true, what then?
From where I sit in the commentary box, this fight is a tough one to call. Only 2 rounds so far and at the moment Suna in the blue corner leads on points – the others are behind bars.
Sometimes fights are declared drawn but usually, for super heavy weights like this – there must be a winner. It’s 10 rounds to go no need to celebrate just yet for either side.
For those in the gallery, it’s time to put the money in the pot. Who do you think will win this one?
Eyes on the ring.
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