SECTOR 4 “Most stories that are ‘he said, she said’, just don’t fit the bill. For example, there was a shooting incident in Kasese, where policemen shot 4 people. The police came out and said they were criminals, but reports did not include any other voices.” The media can be credited for keeping the standard of their election reports high. “The fact that the elections didn’t result in violence shows media is trying, though to a limited degree.” There is a general perception that “social media has compromised accuracy and fairness.” One panellist noted that, “We are seeing a lot of recklessness, and everything goes into social media without being vetted properly, including pictures. Social responsibility is being eroded.” The role of editors in vetting stories and ensuring they present an objective account with the necessary voices is critical. “Accuracy and fairness are cardinal principles along which we orient all our work, and therefore we always ensure that the other party is heard. We won’t get away with it if it is not balanced, and for this, the editor has to be committed.” The mainstream media have columns that carry retractions and/or corrections on stories that have been published. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 3.6 (2012 = 3.3; 2010 = 2.7; 2007 = 2.4) AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER UGANDA 2016 63