The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Media owners and managers from the countryside have appealed to parliament to reign-in on the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) to scrap the requirement of offering free airtime for government programs.
UCC guidelines issued in 2014 require all licensed radio and television stations to broadcast government programs at no cost. This has since been a licensing condition through which stations are required to offer a one-hour primetime talk show for the dissemination of government programs and broadcast national events like the budget speech and the State of the Nation Address.
Stations are also expected to run jingles, announcements and DJ mentions promoting government programs, all at no cost. But Julius Tumusiime, the chairman of the Media Owners under their umbrella body, the Rural Broadcasters Association (RUBA) said that each station loses 412.8 million Shillings annually because of the condition.
The radio stations lose up to eight million Shillings every month from the free talk show that is dedicated to government programmes. They also lose 14 million Shillings on adverts, 2.4 million Sjhjillings on announcements and 10 million Shillings on DJ mentions. These figures are documented in a petition that was presented to the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga on Tuesday.,
“Majority of upcountry stations are no longer generating more than 20 million Shillings a month as a result of this policy of free airtime to government, yet the costs of running a medium like radio add up to 40 million Shillings Tumusiime stated. He noted that media houses need money to continue offering essential services.
The Association requested that the free airtime condition be scrapped and allow radio and television stations to continue to air only national events like the budget speech and presidential addresses. They also want parliament to require Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to budget for media airtime across the country.
Tumusiime, the owner of Bushenyi FM was accompanied by the Director of Time FM Anthony Wanyoto and NBS Radio General Manager David Lwanga to represent the association which boasts of members from 160 radio stations owners, four online news platforms and 10 televisions from West Nile, Acholi, Lango, Teso, Sebei, Bukedi, Busoga, Central, Bunyoro, Toro, Ankole, Kigezi and Karamoja regions.
Speaker Rebecca Kadaga said that she would send the petition to Parliament’s Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) committee for scrutiny. She, however, tasked the Association leadership to submit to her official documents regarding the conditions of licenses and others.
******
URN
Looks like the outbreak of COVID-19 was a blessing in disguise of sorts for people in authority to grab as much money as possible or what? Where did the 304 Billion shillings supplementary budget go? What about the 59 Billion shillings for food for the vulnerable in and around K’la? Who got what? What about Apollo Nyegamehe produce of Nuts $ Bolts or was it him or just Music Dance and Drama in Parliament since the theatre and Parliament are next door neighbors anyway? Who took the 3.5 billion shs under National Assc’n of B’Casters NAB? And what about the 2 billion given to UBC? Did that 2 Billion trickle down to Ngeya and other UBC outlets upcountry or it remained at Nile Avenue? Looks like Uganda is just up for grabs and those with opportunities don’t know where to put the money they steal left, right and center???? Meanwhile, lets be magnanimous and congratulate our neighbors in Tanzania for beating the 2025 deadline to attain the Middle income status as we go into NDP 3, sijui NPA this and Vision 2040, sijui 2063 blah blah…..Ain’t happy at all