Print Media Coverage And Voting Behaviors Of Electorates In Uganda. A Case Study Of Daily Monitor.

ABSTRACT

The researcher was interested in investigating on the print media and changing of voting

behavior of electorates in Uganda. The research was guided by objectives which were intended

to; examine the role of print media coverage on shaping the voting behaviors of electorates in

Uganda, find out the challenges encountered by print media coverage in shaping the voting

behaviors of electorates in Uganda and establish the strategies devised to overcome the

challenges faced in shaping the voting behaviors of electorates in Uganda. The literatuure was

reiewed inline with the research objectives above and it was obtained from books, internet,

journals and publications of previous researchers.The research design was cross-sectional

descriptive and gender-based where by both male and female respondents were considered and

from the target population of 120 only 80 respondents were considered for this study. Majority of

the respondents were male and their highest level of education was masters. The findings of the

researcher made him conclude that print media play significant role in shaping the behaviors of

electorates in Uganda. Print media should therefore be left to present as much information on

elections as they can to the voters in general since failure to do so may lead to low turn up or

making of wrong choices, which affects the country’s development. It an important task for the

print media to monitor political life and to draw the attention of voters to how politicians are

fulfilling their responsibilities to society so that those who cannot meet the voter’s expectations

can be left out. This is because print media act as the channel through which political

communication takes place by presenting the opinion leaders and politicians to engage in debates

in their drawing rooms. Newspapers must also allow the myriad opinions from citizens sent into

the newsroom to make their way in the news without segregation. The recommendations were

made to print media so as to be fair in allocating the parties equal amount of space to express

their views. Journalists should very well scrutinize the conduct and rhetoric of the politicians and

a strong, intensive, effective and independent press effectively does. The government and

politicians in particular should be watched when they abuse their powers, exceed their mandates,

commit blunders they would prefer to conceal, and elevate themselves to positions of non

accountable authority. Such information must be released to the public through media and others

were for NGOs to advocate for the rights of journalists. Due to time and resources contraints,

areas for further research were also indicated.

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Based on the regional elevel, a democratic society relies upon voter decision to elect

representatives and upon mass media communication networks to inform the electorate

especially news papers play a vital role Pavia (2006). The countries which were able to establish

good tradition of party politics democracy was able to survive and gain grater strength. The news

papers enable the state and its leaders to reach people even the remote corners of the country

Becker, F. (2002). However the powerful medial concept was shaken by1940 study of voters and

voting behavior in Eric Count, Ohio. Instead of swaying voters and marshalling change, the press

was seen as more of reinforcing influence. Scholars began to doubt influence of i:he media as

change agents in communication.

Sub saharn region, journalism is seen as an important constitutive element of public life and

media institutions like any other are governed by traditions and dynamics of their own. But in the

broader public life, news papers institutions do not define politics any more than political

structures fully determine the news; there is an ongoing interaction (Curran et al, 2000). It is

these interactions between the political players and media that one needs to engage with, to try

and look at the boundaries both institutions have with each other as power instruments. Curran

notes that at its best, the mediatization of politics is one in which journalism is capable of

standing as spokesperson for civil society, challenging political arrogance and political roguery.

In all developed and developing countries, press for long has had constant relations with politics.

(Kasoma 2000) renders the Uganda’s press as having been a political press and operating as a

political tool from the onset. He notes that politicians particularly those in government, have

necessarily, always been involved in and with the press, legally and extra legally. That their

involvement was in ordering journalists to do this and do that, complaining about acts or

omissions by journalists and the press, warning journalists and the press to report on what those

in government are saying, even if it does not conform to what they are doing or not doing.

Indeed, it is difficult to picture the African press without its hallmark of overemphasis on

politics. Politicians have courted the press and when the reports seemed unfavorable to them,

they turned against the same institution they need. Kasoma also notes that the press is shrouded

in controversy arising out of its nature as a campaign press. The news papers have been used as a political campaign tool to mop up party support of the ruling party.