Political Stature and Media Content in Uganda, A Case Study of Uganda Broadcasting Cooperation.

ABSTRACT This research was carried following certain objectives that included; to examine the influence of politics on the content of broadcast media in the country to analyze the state of media freedom in Uganda, to identify the factors that affect broadcast media in Kampala and to examine the relationship between politics and broadcast media content broadcast by media houses in Uganda. Literature was reviewed from the work of different scholars and media institutions data but in line with the topic. This helped to compare the present and the past in the influence oCpolitics on media broadcasts. Analytical and qualitative methodology was used in designing the study variable and in this a questionnaire was used to collect data that helped in finding information. The study revealed that politics influences the content of broadcast media. This was attributed to factors like national security issues and thus the program manager at the television station ensures that all the information to be broadcasted is not affecting the interests of the state especially in security issues. The study also revealed that revealed that different factors affect media broadcast content in the country. These factors included politics, exposure ofjournalists, education level of the journalists in the country and the level of technology in the country. The study recommended that the government of Uganda should remove certain laws that prohibit the effective broadcasting of information by different media houses in the country. The study suggested that the government should define what exactly constitutes national security, economic sabotage, and public morality. But the courts should have the power to determine whether what was published actually is harmful to, say, national security. The government should make its case to the court. Moreover, given that these will always remain contested notions, civil society organisations should, on behalf of the public, lead a national dialogue intended to reach a degree of consensus on the definitions of these concepts.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION

APPROVAL ii

DEDICATION iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv

LIST OF ACRONYMS v

ABSTRACT viii

ChAPTER ONE I

I .0 Introduction I

I. I Background I

.2 Statement of the Problem 3

I .3 Research Objectives 4

I .4 Research Questions 4

1.5 Scope of the Study 4

1.6 Significance of the Study 5

CHAPTER TWO 6

LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.0 Introduction 6

2.1 Definition of Key Terms 6

2.2Political Stature and Broadcast Media Content 7

2.3State of Media Freedom in Uganda 8

2.4Factors that Affect the Operations of Broadcast Media in Uganda II

2.SRelationship between Politics and Broadcast Media Content by Media Houses 13

ChAPTER THREE 15

METhODOLOGY 15

3.0 Introduction IS

:3. I Population and Area of Study 15

3.2 Sample Size and Selection IS

3.3 Data Source and Collection 17

3.4 Primary Data 17

vi

3.5 Secondary Data .17

3.6 Data Analysis 17

3.7 Procedure for Data Collection 17

3.8 l)ata Processing 18

3 9Research constraints experienced 1 8

3. 10 Ethical Values 18

3.11 Limitations of the Study 19

CHAPTER FOUR 20

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION 20

4.Olntroduction 20

4. I Descriptive statistics 20

4.2Findings on the influence of Political stature on the content 22

4.3Findings on the state of media freedom in Uganda 23

4,4Findings on the factors that affect broadcast media in Uganda 24

4.5 Findings on the Relationship between Politics and Broadcast Media 25

ChAPTER FIVE 26

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 26

5.Oliitioduction 26

5. I Summary of Findings 26

5.2Conclusions 27

5.3 Recommendations 27

5.4Areas for Further Study 3 1

REFERENCES 32

APPENI)IX I 34

QUESTIONNAIRES 34

APPENDIX II 37

I3UDGET 37

APPENDIX III 38

THE PROPOSED TIME FRAME 38