Uganda 2.4 Broadcasting legislation has been passed and is implemented that provides for a conducive environment for public, commercial and community broadcasting. ANALYSIS: Broadcasting legislation has been passed and implemented. However, it falls short of providing a conducive environment for public, commercial and community broadcasting. The Electronic Media Statute 1996 sets up the Broadcasting Council which is supposed ”to co-ordinate and exercise control over and to supervise broadcasting activities”. It is composed of five government officials, three representatives of broadcasting media, two members of the public and a lawyer. The chairman and all council members are appointed by the minister in charge. The minister has the power to give “directives of a policy nature to the Council regarding the performance of its functions and the Council shall comply with directions”. This provision and others, such as those on “minimum broadcasting standards”, have been used to take private radio and TV stations off air. A recent example is Nation TV which was closed for a couple of months. The Uganda Communications Act 1997 establishes the Uganda Communications Commission which is appointed by the minister responsible for communications. The minister himself, upon the recommendation of the commission, grants or refuses licenses to radio and TV (section 34 [1]). There are allegations that the quality of the frequency allocated depends on bribes and political connections. Licences are said to be declined if there is a suspicion that the radio/TV station could be used by the opposition. Government politicians on the other hand are allowed to run FM stations. The President announced in April 2007 that he had set up his own African Media Barometer - Uganda 2007 13