By Kobusiinge Monica
The National Association of Broadcaster (NAB) on Wednesday officially received and adopted the leadership of online publishers under their newly formed umbrella organization, Independent online journalists Association (indoja-U) into their executive committee in a bid to streamline and regularise the online media industry that’s developing at a terrific speed.
After their [indoja-U] official launch on Thursday at Hotel Africana, at a function that was presided over by Prime Minister Dr.Ruhakana Rugunda, who delegated his line minister for ICT and National guidance Hon.Frank Tumwebaze, NAB chairman Mr.Kin Kariisa announced that the executive committee had accepted to offer two slots to indoja top leadership (president and secretary General) to represent the interests of the online section of the industry in a bid to streamline the same.
“Atleast all of us now know that the future of the media industry is digital. All these traditional media houses including the Next media that I head, NMG, Vision group name them….all have an online presence. This means we can’t leave these guys behind and let them demonize the industry where we also have a stake to be unregulated. So that’s why I called them to join us so we can work together to offer proper direction of the online media,” Kin said.
On Wednesday, its first president Andrew Irumba Katusabe and secretary general Sarah Kagingo were officially adopted into the executive as direct representatives of the online media elected by indoja-U Association.
While speaking at the meeting that took place at Uganda Museum (Ibamba Restaurant), Irumba thanked NAB leadership for accepting to amend their constitution in order to adopt the new members.
NAB’s vice Chairman also Member of Parliament Busiro South Hon.Peter Ssematimba aka Pirraaa..Ssematimba in his remarks said that it was good for the online team to join so they could get their input first hand.
In the same meeting, NAB also met the leadership of Uganda National Association of the Deaf (UNAD) members who called on them to engage TV station managers and UCC to enforce the requirement of having a sign language interpreter for news bullet ins to loop them in.
This was their very first engagement with the NAB executive and the Chairman assured them that their concerns would be addressed soon.
