Weekly Observer: www.Ugandaobserver.com
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
| Be fair; be ethical
It is good for Ugandans to have diverse media. It is particularly good for democracy, especially during this ekisanja [third term] period. It is also good for The Monitor, despite what looks like a massive defection of 'big' names in the industry. The paper could actually become better in the end. Within two months, two supposedly formidable publications, The Weekly Observer and the Reform Agenda magazine, have entered the Ugandan market. Let's wait and see how they will add value to the debate and dialogue, especially the federalism debate and the transition. My prayer is that the new publications will try to broaden their opinion pages as well as their letters pages. Some unsolicited advice: Take a stand. You can't be like The New York Times and The National Enquirer at once. I sensed that The Monitor was trying to be both a mainstream and a tabloid (same applies to The New Vision). The new publications should not try to appeal to every reader. They should leave some stuff to Bukedde, the New Vision, Red Pepper and The Monitor. They must strive to be different from the pack in order to be taken seriously. By the way, the new publications do not have to be apolitical. They just have to be fair and ethical. That means saying sorry when you get the facts wrong, and giving the other side a chance to be heard. I hope Mr Ogen Kevin Aliro's team will be different, fair, imaginative and creative. It is okay to take a position as long as that stand is fair. Even the greatest newspaper in the world, (okay USA), The New York Times, does not pretend to be neutral for it is liberal, and it is known that come November 2004, The New York Times and other 'liberal' papers will endorse Senator John Kerry [against President George W. Bush]. But New York Times is also fair to the Republican side. There is no such a thing as neutrality when it comes to the print media. What is key is fairness. Good luck and may your publications grow and survive to have an impact on the political, social, economic, rural, regional and international agenda of Uganda. W. B. Kyijomanyi, http://www.ugandaobserver.com/today/oped/letters/index.php ----------------- |
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