A trusted Voice in an Uncertain World

Use of internet enabled smart devices has created obsession about news on the go but, perhaps it's time to literally turn back the dial. (no pun intended).

As media and communications specialists continue to battle misinformation flood of unverified information on the World Wide Web, there is a silent cry, maybe we should return to the old fashioned, time tried methods of mass communication like radio. 

New is not always better. With access to smart digital devices, people search for news on the Internet, but it comes with challenges about reliability of the sources and the lack of factual accuracy in the content.

There is a reason radio is still appealing to a good section of society, up to 67% in Uganda. Radio has stood the test of time. It is still accessible, reliable, affordable and very simple to use by about everyone.

In Uganda, according to the latest digital data tracking statistics, only about 27% of the population have access to the Internet and a smaller section of that use Internet as a source of information.

Radio in Uganda is a popular medium and is used by over 95% of the population.

It is more trusted as a source of information on health, government programmes and a popular tool for political processes during campaigns.

Even people with a minimum education are able to access and use radio as a vital source of information.

Radio is interactive and listeners feel included in the democratic process.

As we think how we access information, it's time to revisit how reliable and accessible it is, in meeting mass appeal.

The URN project seeks to enhance the capacity of the media practitioners with skills in independent journalism, governance, accountability, and human rights through training on the Access to Information Act, Public Affairs reporting, and fact-checking disinformation and misinformation.

Journalists/Media are the first line of defense against information abuse and fake news. Specific training helps strengthen their ability to respond to the threat on an ongoing, everyday basis.

In this regard, one hundred (100) (43 female) external and forty (40) (10 female) internal journalists were trained in public affairs reporting and imparted with skills on how to fact-check stories and how to guard against misinformation and disinformation.

Most of the participants noted that they unknowingly or accidentally took part in disseminating disinformation, misinformation, or fake news originating from social media accounts of famous or important people and had not had tools to use to conduct basic verification. 

The demand for this type of training is very high across the country so there were many potential individuals left out.

The resources available to cover the content of training is not sufficient. The training requires a hands on approach, use of examples, allowing every participant to try out the tools and get feedback. This is impossible due to the limited time and resources.

A feedback questionnaire from participants suggests that the practitioners' training should take at-least three days per session.  

There is a notable increase in attempts to seek out and provide women and youth voices in community radio stations as they cover issues of public interest.

More media practitioners are employing the fact checking tools to verify information before broadcast.

An attempt to create common professional standards and ethical conduct that guarantees accurate, fair, and balanced information is in its infancy but its seeds can be seen in local media discussions and verification of information flooding online platforms.

There is a deliberate effort to ensure that the female gender participate in the implementation of the project. The URN newsroom is led by a female editor-in-chief, Sylvia Nankya.

She also works on the technical training aspects regarding the content and ensures sensitivity of language and content. The main coordinator between URN and partner media houses, Caroline Kamahoro is responsible for all selection of participants to the training, their welfare and comfort of the training.