Uganda is particularly one of the most endowed and gifted countries on the African continent with gifted talents in journalism whereby the sensitization and service delivery demand for the common person; alias Mwanaichi is mostly disseminated by the mass media to concerned authorities and institutions.
As the whole world went to bed in celebrating World press Day last Thursday, Uganda’s press gallery in particular was in high spirits in honoring the press freedom demands throughout the walls.
The liberalized system of the media in Africa has been dominated by the changing statutes both in the legal framework of Media as stipulated in the Uganda Penal Code Act manuscript.
The increasing number of media houses and media practitioners and their regulation in general has been a great boost of the growth of the profession in numbers though the quality of what is produced and perceived from sources remains a tale of discussion cognitively.
The initial media system in Uganda could be dealt with by applauding the good services and efforts fostered in the public lens to communicate to higher masses by the editorial board and foot-soldiers in the field respectively.
The media has grown into a hub of setting the agenda; as seen in the Agenda setting theory considering the systematic theories of communication and several leaders and focal personnel in public have grown through media mentorship and skilling in the yester years.
The primary players especially in the media fraternity; journalists in particular have also been empowered into leadership; a privilege for those that have attained leadership skills in governance.
Such could be attributed to the former Nation Media Television News Anchor; Joel Ssenyonyi who walked his way in parliament and rose to sanity as the Leader of opposition succeeding the Nyendo/ Mukungwe Member of parliament Mathias Mpuuga in Eleventh parliament led by Speaker Anita Annet Among.
Such prowess in general is an indicator that journalism in African contest has grown predominately into a mentorship leader’s forum thereby hatching influential personnel in Uganda mostly.
As for Clarity; the utmost to the highest in the African journalism setting is predominantly occupied by intelligent and gifted journalists with a huge charisma and character to change the story of African Child in the newsroom has been well preserved.
The tales of talented journalists and writers in the Art of writing and strategizing have been well realized and journalism has changed the African story and Uganda’s emblem has risen higher with the prowess of the masterpiece art of crafting stories.
The basis of reporting and crafting stories in a non-fiction format has been dramatically well received thanks to the outstanding platforms in African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) for mentoring and awarding outstanding professionals.
The tales of African stories and their impactful purposes have been meant and the liberal media reporting has given ample time to many devoted foot-soldiers in the newsroom to realize a second chance.
Today; the owner of Watchdog Uganda website Mike Ssegawa can dress-up in black suit and speak with audacity to the press men and women as a journalist as well as the Mukono District Deputy Resident District Commissioner.
Such is the huge added advantage journalism has grown thereby becoming a leadership winning hook for many leaders irrespective of their background.
However; as many celebrate with their thinking caps and heads on; the average number of journalists grapple with limited support from their affiliated media houses which has gross- provenly comprised the profession.
The stories of Gipil and Labong did not stop in primary education; today stories of purposes have been covered in many stances and given a new face of impacting the society.
It is only the great stories that count; and such conundrums have propelled the players; journalists to become patriotic in exerting Spiritism to serve beyond self to win hearts of Non- government Aided Organizations to exercise public relations works or attaining positions in government.
The current trend of journalism in Africa has shown prowess of producing many talents and today the media is more credible in producing finished products of leaders than before.
When the president of Uganda entrusted averagely of the staff from the media including the former press secretary Don Wanyama; such was the changing emblem of journalism and it gave a new face of watching things from far in that stance.
However; all that glitters is not gold and the media as the professionals demand a friendly working environment by introducing a Media Fund from the government for journalists as observed by journalist Wilson Kutamba also the Lyantonde Communications Officer during Greater Masaka Journalists Association celebrations held in Lyantonde District.
Additionally; this could be related to the outstanding efforts exerted by affiliated organizations such as Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRNJ) Uganda and Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) mostly to change the standards of living for the journalists to maintain the status quo of the profession.
The Author (Brian Mugenyi) is a Ugandan journalist as well as a Member of Human Rights Network for Journalists Uganda (HRNJ) and Greater Masaka Journalists Association (GMJA) vibrant on public affairs reporting and freedom fighter and human rights activist as well as the Head of Business and features writing at Watchdog Uganda Website mentored by African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) and a Journalism and Mass communication graduate from Kampala University.
Email: mugenyijj@gmail.com
Twitter: @ItsmeoneBrian
Contact: 0775-846606
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