Whether you believe state broadcaster Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) should be taken seriously but not literally, or vice versa, there is no doubt the the once powerful regional broadcastor is now a white elephant.
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Today, its Review Committee called for the amendment of the UBC act to turn the corporation into a truly independent broadcaster. This is contained in the Dr. Peter Mwesige led UBC Review Committee that carried out inquiries into the operations of UBC for three months.
The Committee Secretary, Andrew Kibaya presented their findings to the Information, Communication and Technology Minister, Frank Tumwebaze this morning. Tumwebaze constituted the UBC Review Committee in August this year following concerns about the failure of the Corporation to meet standards of a national broadcaster.
While handing over the report, Kibaya said their findings show that UBC doesn’t inspire much confident in the public.
He also said their investigations showed that UBC is choking with debts and can’t pay its staff due to limited funding and mismanagement. Kibaya argued that over the years government has made little effort to fund the corporation while the broadcaster has done little to secure its independence and remain relevant.
Cabinet has agreed to pour an initial fund of Ugshs 20 billion towards upgrading the broadcaster, according to the Minister. The one-off fund will be used to procure efficient equipment among other necessary infrastructure.
The report found UBC TV to be heavily indebted, mismanaged and unable to sustainabily finance its operations. The regulator (UCC) rendered UBC as having done little to secure its independence, is completely irrelevant and dysfunctional.
In its recommendations, the committee proposes that; the UBC Act be amended to make the institution more independent, restructure the Corporation, find ways of sustaining financing and to change management.
Basically, UBC requires restructure and change of management, a committee set up to review its operations has recommended.
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