Journalists mark World News Day

WORLD NEWS DAY|MEDIA

The media plays an indispensable role in society. In being a watch dog, media not only informs and educates society, but exposes ills and holds those in power accountable for their actions.

However, in dispensing this noble duty, the media and journalists face a myriad of challenges ranging from repressive laws and administrative sanctions to poor remuneration, which are threatening to erode the public confidence it holds.

The challenges have been compounded by the rise of fake news in the digital era, where everybody has turned into a citizen journalist.

The World News Day, which is being commemorated today and observed annually, is a brainchild of the Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) and the World Editors Forum (WEF), with support from the Google News Initiative. It is aimed at raising awareness of the critical role that journalists play in providing credible and reliable news, to help people make sense of — and improve — the rapidly changing world.

Barbara Kaija, the Editor in Chief of Vision Group, said: "Information is a catalyst to development so it is important in society advancement. If the Press keeps quiet, things get from bad to worse."

To effectively carry out its role, the media, she said, must have public trust to gain access to this information.

"If the public trusts us, they give us the tips and the information that they may not be able to share with authorities for fear of reprisal or because they are difficult to access. We can only have stories when the public trust us. The public will trust us if we do a credible job," she said.

Media activists, journalists and scholars, believe that the situation can still be salvaged, first through addressing the challenges that affect the practice of a free media, and, secondly, through journalists sticking to the journalism principles and focusing on serving the citizenry.

CHALLENGES FACED BY MEDIA

Robert Ssempala, a media activist and national coordinator for the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda, said the media environment is highly restrictive and hampers the way journalists and the media conduct the watchdog role.

Media experts said the powerful have taken advantage of the law on defamation to escape public scrutiny through putting sanctions on investigative journalism. This law is currently being challenged in the East African Court of Justice.

The other laws that have been found to be highly restrictive to media practice include the law on computer misuse, the anti-terrorism Act and the interception of communications Act.

Dr Emily Maractho, a journalism scholar and the head of department of Journalism and Media Studies at Uganda Christian University, said the question of poor pay needs to be addressed, saying it may seem a small issue, but actually impacts news in a big way.

"You cannot, as a media house, hold people accountable to ethical issues if you have not even paid your staff," she said.

COVID-19

COVID-19 has also worsened the media environment. Following its outbreak, many media houses lost their source of income and were forced to downsize their operations. Many journalists lost jobs in the process, while others had to take pay cuts to keep their jobs.

How can the challenges be addressed and public trust be won?

Dr Peter Mwesige, the executive director of the African Centre for Media Excellence, said journalists should continue speaking truth to power, while remaining fair and balanced.

"The challenge of misinformation and disinformation also requires journalists to be on their guard, verifying information and helping the public sort through the many falsehoods out there," he said.

Wilson Akiiki Kaija, a media trainer and lecturer at Makerere University, said winning public trust comes from reporting issues that matter to the public.

"If we go back to serving the public interest, reporting on issues that affect the public, we will win back the trust," he said.

Barbara Kaija said there is need to stick to the journalism code of ethics, which include accuracy, fairness and balance, need to highlight the public issues with the aim of advancing the society.

Maractho said media stakeholders need to use the World News Day to reflect on the direction that news is taking.

Mwesige said the day is an opportunity for the media and all those who care about the right to freedom of expression to raise public awareness, about the important role that journalists play in providing the public with accurate, relevant and reliable information.