SECTOR 4 4.2 The media follow voluntary codes of professional standards, which are enforced by independent/nonstatutory bodies that deal with complaints from the public. The Independent Media Council of Uganda (IMCU), was set up in 2008 with the help of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, and at the time, the Council set up a code of ethics. “IMCU was started because people felt that it should not be the business of the state to regulate the media.” However, the organisation is not very active; its independence has been compromised by the fact that at its head is a presidential advisor, and its code of ethics as well as the complaints procedure it has set up is not enforced. “There is nothing to hold people accountable. There are no repercussions. Even at its formation, there was no buy-in from the media houses.” Other media associations have had the same problem, and the East African Media Institute (EAMI), which was very active at one point, no longer exists. There is also a statutory media council, established by Article 8 of the Press and Journalists Act of 1995, whose functions are: • • • • • • to regulate the conduct and promote good ethical standards and discipline of journalists; to arbitrate disputes between - (i) the public and the media; and (ii) the State and the media; to exercise disciplinary control over journalists, editors and publishers; to promote, generally, the flow of information; to censor films, videotapes, plays and other related apparatuses for public consumption; and to exercise any function that may be authorised or required by any law. There is also a statutory media council, established by Article 8 of the Press and Journalists Act of 1995, whose functions are: a. b. c. d. 64 the director of information or a senior officer from the Ministry responsible for information, who shall be the secretary to the council; two distinguished scholars in mass communication appointed by the Minister in consultation with the National Institute of Journalists of Uganda; a representative nominated by the Uganda Newspapers Editors and Proprietors Association; four representatives of whom— (i) two shall represent electronic media; and (ii) two shall represent the National Institute of Journalists of Uganda; AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER UGANDA 2016