{UAH} UCC makes tough demands as Top TV is summoned over Miss Uganda ‘attack’

Miss Uganda Oliver Nakakande. Image credit: New Vision

Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) summoned the management of Top Television for exhibiting unprofessionalism during an April 20 interview where reigning Miss Uganda was interviewed.

The interview, which has since attracted wide-ranging criticism, forcing the host of the host of the show dubbed 'cocktail' to apologize, was conducted in a way that breached Minimum Broadcasting Standards, according to UCC.

UCC has directed the television station to suspend the show until after the investigation has been concluded, in order to mitigate the risk of further breach.

The show is hosted by Joan Nakintu Lule and UCC says she attacked Miss Uganda Oliver Nakakande "in a manner that was widely perceived as unprofessional."

In a Saturday statement, UCC said it had written to Top TV on April 22, indicating that a member of the public had complained that the station's news broadcasts are not balanced to ensure harmony and that its presenters are unprofessional, citing the "Cocktail" programme that aired on 20 April 2020 at 8 am as an example.

"The complainant alleges that during the broadcast of the show "Cocktail", the presenter or host was unprofessional, failed to meet journalistic principles or ethics, and thus breached the broadcasting standards," the UCC Ag. Executive Director Irene Kaggwa Sewankambo wrote on 22 April 2020.

"The complainant further alleges that during the show, Ms Nakintu Joan Lule as a host of the program was unfair, lacked objectivity and impartiality required of a presenter."

The Commission has accordingly commenced investigations into the conduct of Top Television, invoking sections 5(1) (b), (x), (j), 31,45 and 41of the Uganda Communications Act 2013.

To facilitate the investigation, according to the UCC statement, the station is required to submit a recording of the said programme, alongside the programme script indicating the theme and topic of discussion that was covered.

The station must also provide proof of requisite qualifications and registration of the producer, programmes director and host of the programme as required under Sections 5 and 27 of the Press and Journalist Act, UCC says.

As UCC awaits an explanation within five days, Top Television has moved to repair the damage caused by its broadcast, with the moderator apologising on air, and the station issuing an apology of its own through a press statement in which it admitted that the presenter had "exhibited unprofessional conduct".

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"When a man is stung by a bee, he doesn't set off to destroy all beehives"

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