Broadcasting governance and development in ‘Museveni's Uganda’

Abstract

Despite recent developments in technology and globalisation, the broadcast and print media in many countries still run on separate tracks. This article, which is based on qualitative research carried out between 2012 and 2014, examines the governance and development of media in ‘Museveni’s Uganda’ (1986- ), with specific reference to broadcasting. The aim is to explore the extent to which legislation and the regulation of broadcasting have affected its development in Uganda. The key question is: How has broadcasting governance affected broadcast media development in Uganda during the Museveni years? The main approach was content analysis of relevant legislation and policies, and key informant interviews with major stakeholders. The key finding is that in the period under examination, Uganda adopted a piecemeal approach to legislation, and to a great extent relied on laws rather than policies to govern broadcasting. Broadcasting diversity and independence remained elusive, and little development of the sector beyond growth in numbers (multiplicity of outlets) was experienced. There is a need to review existing frameworks.