allAfrica.com: Uganda: Radio Journalists Paid By Newsmakers

Most journalists working for FM radio stations across the country extract money from newsmakers as pay package for publicity in part owing to appalling remuneration by their employers.

This exposure of unethical conduct by media practitioners and labour abuse by radio proprietors is contained in a new report auditing performance of Frequency Modulation (FM) radio stations in the country.

Latest figures show that a total of 195 privately-run FM radios have been licensed to date although just slightly over 100 have hit the air waves. The first FM radio - Sanyu FM - went on air in the capital, Kampala in 1993.

Fifteen years on, the 23-page report; FM stations in Uganda: Quantity without quality, says the majority of the FM radios still have messy editorial output due to low professional/technical capacity, lack of equipment and massive interference by proprietors and advertisers.

Many radio stations had no production studios and voice recorders for field journalists, the researchers said.

"The majority of [radio] personnel lack broadcast skills...whereas editors are supposed to manage the newsroom, the recruitment of [editorial] staff is done behind their backs by proprietors or station managers," reads part of the report.

Mr Haruna Kanaabi, the coordinator of the East African Media Institute (EAMI) - Uganda Chapter and Mr Peter Kibazo, a Kampala-based media practitioner, authored the report last December following surveys covering at least 40FM radio stations in different parts of the country.

It was found that some radio stations in northern Uganda pay reporters between Shs500 to Shs700 per every news article used and as a result, "some journalists admitted to indulging in unethical behaviour like being paid by news sources to run stories [or other] promotional adverts as news items."

The culpable radio stations were not named in the report.

"In a scenario where the [news] editor beeps a news source to call back for information; a reporter paid by the newsmaker and a journalist doubles as the advertising agent for radio stations," says the report, "The [radio] station is left with none to uphold professional standards."

Other cases of unethical practices by FM radios also include plagiarising newspaper articles during news bulletins.

Mr Earnest Acidri, the Chief News Editor of the Catholic-owned Pacis radio in West Nile said although the researchers never visited their station, some of their observations are "spot on".

News stringers in the region are on average paid Shs1, 000 to Shs2,000 for every story run while those on staff earn Shs100, 000 upwards per month.

This pay for news stringers up country compares with that offered by renowned city-based radio stations, except that permanent employees of radio stations in Kampala earn much higher than their rural counterparts.

"Journalists require adequate facilitation because news gathering involves a lot of movement, background research and documentation," Mr Acidiri said.

And he added: "Owing to poor facilitation, many [up country] reporters cannot scan or photocopy documents or even make telephone calls to crosscheck facts and this affects quality of their news stories."

The investigation into operations of FM radios was funded by the Fredrich Ebert Stiftung, a German NGO dedicated to promoting democracy and human rights issues.

Radio reporters and presenters, who are celebrities of sorts - upcountry, allegedly extort money using their high end status in society in part to bridge the pay gap and aggrandise themselves.

"I have heard about that [radio journalists soliciting bribes] and it is not something new," Mr Ahmed Gamal Okello, the managing director of Signal FM radio in the eastern district of Bugiri said, "But I keep warning my staff against such unprofessional behaviour."

Employees enlisted by the station, said Mr Okello, have a minimum academic qualification of A-level certificate and get "in-house" training "as long as they have the talent and are commitment to work."

Mr Kagole Kivumbi, the secretary of the Broadcasting Council on Monday said soliciting bribes has nothing to do with little pay and is a moral vice perpetuated by some uncouth individuals - in this case imposters - disparaging the reputation of the journalism profession.

"An issue of moral degeneration of a few people cannot be blamed on everyone," Mr Kivumbi said adding, "The broadcasters are doing great work; yes there are challenges but I don't want the media to be judged harshly."

Mr Michael Wakabi, the president of EAMI-Uganda chapter, said in the report that the findings are indictments on the media of the "persistent nuisances holding back the potential of FM broadcasting to play its rightful role in Uganda's social mosaic."

As the regulating authority, Mr Kivumbi said the Broadcasting Council will continue to press for high ethical journalistic conduct but that attempts to rate Ugandan broadcasters against international electronic media standards were far-fetched.

"While assessing us [Ugandan broadcasters], consider where we are coming from," he said.

The researchers said cronies of the ruling NRM government mainly own the FM radio stations and the proprietors, in many instances, block alternative views of political opponents.

For instance, President Museveni's Press Secretary, Tamale Mirundi is the proprietor of 104.9 Suubi FM and State Energy Minister, Simon Giu D'Ujanga owns Radio Paidha FM in Nebbi District.

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