The Whisper

Company History

The Media Council was established by the Press and Journalist Act; of 1995 and charged with the regulation of the Mass Media. The objective of the Law is to ensure the freedom of the press and to establish to regulate the mass media and arbitrate any disputes with in or relatede to the industry. and arbitrate any dispute within or related to the industry.

Under article 10(1) of the Press and Journalist Act 1995 Cap 105, the Council has the following functions:-

1. To regulate the conduct and promote good ethical standards and discipline of journalists.
2. To arbitrate disputes between the public and the media; and the State and the media.
3. To exercise disciplinary control over journalist, editors and publishers.
4. To promote generally the flow of information.
5. To censor films, videotapes plays and other related apparatuses for public consumption.
6. To exercise any function that may be authorized or required by law.

The council is further empowered to accredit foreign journalists who intend to carry out any act of journalism in Uganda.

Membership is drawn from members of the public with an impeccable record; National Union of Journalist of Uganda (NIJU), Newspaper proprietors and Editors Association UNEPA; the Electronic media; the Law Society and Scholars.

The Council tries its best to work hand in hand with its sister organizations namely the Broadcasting Council and the Communication commission. The media is an essential element of modern society because it’s through a free media that the organs of the state i.e. the executive, the legislature and the judiciary can be subjected to scrutiny. It is because of this scrutiny that they become responsive to society for which they are established.

The media being a watchdog function for the public it promotes democratization, accountability and good governance among other positive and patriotic values. The media being part of society has also a big responsibility to it. This is particularly important in a country like Uganda where on one hand freedom of the press is guaranteed by the national Constitution and on the other hand the democratization process is fragile and in its infancy. This is more so as the country transitions into a multi-party political system.

The Disciplinary/Arbitration Committee is established under the Press Journalist Statute 1995 one of its functions is to exercise disciplinary control over journalist, editors and publishers and to arbitrate disputes between the public and the media and the state and the media.

The Committee consists of:-

1. The Chairman of the Council as its chairman
2. The Secretary of the Council as its Secretary
3. Four Members elected by the Council from amongst themselves