SECTOR 3 3.2 Broadcasting is regulated by an independent body that is adequately protected by law against interference and whose board is not dominated by any particular political party and is appointed – in an open way – involving civil society and not dominated by any particular political party. The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) regulates broadcasting. (Note that the new Communications Act of 2013 “dissolved the Uganda Communications Commission and the Broadcasting Council and reconstituted them as one body known as the Uganda Communications Commission.”). Section 9 of the Act prescribes that the Board of the Commission “shall consist of the following”: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. a person with experience and knowledge in telecommunications, broadcasting or postal communications, who shall be the chairperson; a representative of professional engineers recommended by the Institute of Professional Engineers; one prominent lawyer who is a member of the Uganda Law Society; a person knowledgeable in the field of economics, financial management and public administration; a representative of the Ministry responsible for information and communications technology, who shall be an ex-officio member; the Executive Director; a representative of consumers recommended by the Uganda Consumers Association; and one eminent person of good repute and proven integrity representing the public. As directed in the Act, all members of the UCC board are appointed by the Minister, with the approval of Cabinet. Section 8 of the Act establishes that the UCC “shall exercise its functions independently of any person or body.” The independence of the board is, however, questionable. One panellist noted that, “By virtue of being appointed by the Minister, the Commission is not independent. The process of selection is not public at all.” “The process is vulnerable to manipulation in that the Minister moves or sets standards, so we can’t deviate from this. This allows for the imperialism of a minister, or the Minister as a super power and a ‘super-minister’.” Its independence is further questioned because it receives part of its funding from the line ministry. With regards to the remuneration of the Board, Section 13 of AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER UGANDA 2016 53