The work of the Media in Uganda is of growing importance and is under constant and critical observation. Free, independent and divers media are regarded as a precondition of as essential in democratic society. During the present transitional phase in ugandan politics the activities of the media are our special concern.
Information workshops are aimed at disseminating information on the proposed independent Media Council. A media syllabus was drawn up, reworked and finally launched in 2003. The legal aspects of media operations are discussed. Issues such as the freedom of the press and other media, business interests and possible effects of the media industry on national development are dealt with. Every year on World Press Freedom Day debates are held on media-related issues.
Additionally, as part of its media activities, FES Uganda has conducted the
African Media Barometer
in 2010. The African Media Barometer is the first in-depth and comprehensive description and measurement system for national media environments on the African continent. Unlike other press surveys or media indices the AMB is a self-assessment exercise based on homegrown criteria derived from African Protocols and Declarations like the
«African Commission for Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR).
It takes up the idea of the
African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)
on good governance – where African leaders conveniently forgot to include the media! – and applies it to the media at a national level.
At the same time the AMB serves as a practical lobbying tool for media reform. Its results are presented to the public of the respective country to push for an improvement of the media situation using the AU-Declaration as a benchmark. They are then integrated into the advocacy work of the
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
and into the program of the local FES-offices in sub-Saharan Africa.
You can find more information on the AMB, its methodology and various country reports on the Website of the
FES Media Project Africa (fesmedia Africa).