RX Radio Presenters Fatboy and Olive have expressed concern over the controversial directives from the Uganda Communications Commission in regards to the new regulations of television gossip shows.
Earlier this week, UCC sent out directives to different television stations ordering them to air gossip shows only between 10pm and 5am, issuing that failure to comply would risk suspension of their licenses.
According to the Commission, these shows contain sexual content and profanity posing potential harm to children. In addition, they use demeaning and defamatory language that disreputes individuals.
“The communication by UCC is not clear. Is it trying to get rid of the derogatory information or is it telling gossip presenters to carry on when the children have gone to sleep? I think that UCC should have regulated gossip shows by educating presenters on their show limits instead of changing the showtimes,” Olive proposed.
However, Fatboy, who acknowledged the saturation of the media, said that sometimes presenters are compelled to look for ways of attracting audiences despite the implications.
“As someone who works and proprietes a media house, I certainly agree that the pressure to create attention is real. And because a lot of these media personalities want to increase their ratings, they tend to use extreme means to capture it.”
He went on to add, “As a media personality, you are always put to task by your bosses to be interesting and provocative so as to draw attention and increase ratings of the show and station. Because when the ratings aren’t good, you may lose your job.”
Olive, who is a strong believer of professionalism, said that media personalities can still be interesting without using derogatory and defamatory language giving an example of the ‘Wendy Williams Show’ that captivates audience by with authentic gossip; unlike some Ugandan media personalities that try to make their way by planting untruths.
The Fatboy show is hosted by James Onen aka Fatboy and Olive Najjuma every weekday from 6am to 10am on RX Radio.
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