The Whisper

Media Council Regulations

Media Council of Uganda is set to be be more effective with the New Regulations under the Press and Journalist Act, Cap. 105.

The Regulations signed by Minister of Information and National Guidance Hon. Namayanja rose Nsereko were gazetted on 10th February 2014 in a bid to make the Council more effective and improve on the Professional conduct of Journalists and Mass Media practitioners.

The Press and Journalist (Amendment of fourth Schedule)  2014 No.4, is a Statutory Instrument addressing the professional code of ethics is one of the new regulations. This categorically states it application:

?This professional code of ethics applies to all persons practicing journalism and for the purposes of this code a person practises journalism if he or she is paid for the gathering, processing, publication or dissemination of information; and such person includes a freelance journalist.?

The same instruments outline other areas that were missing in the Schedule of 1995 when the Act was enacted by Parliament to address the changing media environment. These include among others, publication of Grotesque and gruesome pictures, obscene publications, intrusion into grief or shock, protection of children, victims of sexual assault among others.

The Press and Journalist (Fees) Regulations. 2014, Statutory Instruments 2014 N0.4 is the second set of the new regulations.  This regulation spells out the fees specified in the Schedule that shall be paid in respect of the matters they relate to in thePress and Journalists Act, Cap. 105.

Since 1995 when the law was put in place, these are the first regulations put in place to enable enforcement of the Act. The Press and Journalist Act gives powers to the Minister by section 42 and section 40 (3) to make regulations in consultation with the Council.