SECTOR 4

– which includes a minimum wage board – remains under review. “The President
has quashed the debate on a minimum wage because he doesn’t want to put
pressure on industry.”
Conditions set to ensure journalists’ safety also differ from one media house to
another, with some providing insurance coverage to their staff, while others leave
them to fend for themselves. New Vision, for example, provides insurance for
its employees, as well as for freelancers; assures them of representation in the
case of a law suit, and even provides them with bullet-proof vests; depending
on where their journalists are being deployed. They also provide safety training
before major events, and “might go branded, but might not, depending on the
situation.”
“The majority (of media establishments) can’t afford legal representation for
their journalists if they are arrested”, and rely on litigation assistance from NGOs
such as Human Rights Watch and legal aid workers, or from activist lawyers who
provide pro- bono advice.”
“Radio stations, especially, leave you to battle it out on your own. They don’t have
the capacity to hire and facilitate lawyers because it’s a high level thing, and to
take money and invest it in a legal battle is a waste for them. So they leave you
to battle it out on your own.”
Furthermore, female journalists face sexual harassment on the job, and protecting
them from this is difficult. “They are constantly harassed, and with the imbalance
with respect to money and power, some of these guys try to get female staff
under their payroll and to do other favours to influence the stories.”

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:

2.5 (2012 = 2.3; 2010 = 1.5; 2007 = n/a)

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER UGANDA 2016

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