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@observer Sat, 13 Apr 2024 08:15:37
Mali military junta bans media from covering politics
Mali’s junta has issued an order that bans media from reporting on activities of political parties and associations.
Issued by Mali’s high authority for communication on Thursday, the order was distributed on social media. It applies to all forms of media including television, radio, online and print newspapers.
The ban came one day after the junta suspended all activities by political parties until further notice. The military pointed to a need to maintain public order as the reason behind that ban. Media outlets that defy the ban could receive warnings, or even closure, the communications authority told one press freedom organization.
Local and international media groups have condemned the development. The Mali media association Maison de la Presse, or Press House, encouraged journalists to “stand tall, remain unified and to mobilize to defend the right of citizens to have access to information.” It also encouraged reporters to continue covering politics in the country.
And the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ, called on the junta to immediately lift the ban.
“Malian citizens have the right to be informed about developments at this crucial moment in the country’s political life and the press must not be prevented from doing their work, especially on subjects of such significant public interest,” Angela Quintal, head of CPJ’s Africa program, said in a statement.
Mali’s National Commission for Human Rights, which serves in an advisory role to the government, also expressed concern about the move.
“Instead of calming the social climate, these restrictions on fundamental rights and freedoms could potentially stir up trouble and tension, which the country does not need,” it said in a statement.
The crackdown in Mali takes place at a time of broader instability in the West African country. Mali has experienced two military coups since 2020 and is struggling to respond to threats posed by militant groups tied to al-Qaida and the Islamic State.
Conditions for media reporting there are already dangerous, with a risk of being targeted by militant groups for those on assignment outside the capital, Bamako. French reporter Olivier Dubois was held hostage for nearly two years by a group affiliated with al-Qaeda that abducted him in the northeastern city of Gao in 2021.
He was freed in March last year, along with an American aid worker who had also been kidnapped. Out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index, where 1 shows the best environment, Mali ranks 113, says Reporters Without Borders.
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@observer Sat, 13 Apr 2024 07:51:41
Term limits good for efficiency, Gen Muhoozi tells UPDF officers
The chief of defence forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has warned military commanders against office comfortability because being appointed in a given position should be considered as a short-term opportunity.
Speaking at the handover ceremony of former deputy CDF Lt Gen Peter Elwelu to Lt Gen Sam Okiding at Mbuya army headquarters on Thursday, Muhoozi said any military officer currently occupying an office should know it is just a tour of duty and should be prepared to leave at any time.
According to Muhoozi being in an office is temporary and intended to heighten operational efficiency.
"These offices are not permanent and they are for everyone to pass through when building a professional force. Tour of duty is for everyone," Gen Muhoozi said.
At the same function, Maj Gen Leopold Kyanda handed over the office of chief of joint staff (CJS) to Maj Gen Jack Bakasumba. Muhoozi also urged soldiers regardless of their ranks, titles, and workstations to maintain the spirit of unity, brotherhood, and sisterhood.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the appointing authority and commander in chief of the UPDF H.E Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for selecting the right people to occupy these offices. I would like to caution the new office bearers to make a bigger impact at their new stations, and I also appreciate the outgoing officer for the job well done,” Muhoozi said.
Museveni appointed his son Muhoozi the new CDF almost a month ago replacing Gen Wilson Mbadi who was appointed minister of state for Trade. Okiding has been commanding the African Union Transmission Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and returned last week to take over deputy CDF role. Museveni promoted Maj Gen Sam Kavuma to Lt Gen and appointed him the new ATMIS commander.
Muhoozi asked all UPDF office bearers to often leave a positive and indelible impact at all their respective services, units, and formations. He added that such traits manifest the peaceful culture of a professional military like UPDF.
"Do the best you can with the knowledge and perspective you have to leave an indelible and positive impact on the force," Muhoozi said.
Elwelu expressed appreciation to Museveni for the trust bestowed upon him when he served as deputy CDF.
“It was a great challenge as a soldier and leader at all levels of command and control. I pledge to continue serving my country in another capacity as special presidential advisor. I commended the ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs and UPDF fraternity for all the support given to me as deputy CDF,” Elwelu said.
Mbadi and Elwelu have been at the helm of the army from June 2021 to March 2024. Elwelu asked the UPDF to fasten court procedures for the military and also improve the welfare of soldiers so that they can retire with a befitting package.
Okiding extolled Elwelu for the good service to UPDF in all the capacities he has served in including being second in command.
“Whatever happens in the world happens at the right time, and it is by God’s commendation and chosen. I promise to serve at my best and I will work with others because when you walk with others you reach far,” Okiding said.
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@observer Sat, 13 Apr 2024 06:47:53
S.Africa: ex-president Zuma can contest elections, court rules
Former president Jacob Zuma can contest upcoming national elections in May, a South African court ruled Tuesday.
Zuma had appealed a ban by the electoral commission, which said last month that Zuma couldn’t compete for a seat in parliament because the constitution bars people who have been convicted of a crime and sentenced to more than one year in prison from running for office.
Zuma, 81, was forced to resign near the end of his second term in 2018 amid numerous corruption scandals. In 2021, he was sentenced to 15 months in jail for contempt of court after he refused to appear in a corruption investigation.
Zuma’s lawyers argued in court Monday that because the former leader, who served just three months before being released on health grounds, was granted a remission, the ban did not apply.
The court’s decision will not be welcome news to the governing African National Congress party, of which Zuma was a lifelong member before throwing his support behind a newly formed political party called uMkhonto weSizwe, or MK, late last year.
The ANC suspended him, and Zuma — who, despite all the allegations against him, still has massive support in his home province of Kwa Zulu-Natal — has since been campaigning as the face of MK.
National elections on May 29 are widely expected to be the most fiercely contested ever, with surveys suggesting the ANC will win less than 50 per cent of the vote for the first time since the advent of democracy in 1994. Political analyst Sandile Swana broke down what the electoral court’s ruling means.
“The reintroduction of Jacob Zuma into mainstream politics is already eating away at the electoral base of the African National Congress led by Cyril Ramaphosa, and they have now been fortified with this decision of the electoral court that Zuma can be the face of the party, he can campaign, he can be the number one candidate for the party,” Swana said.
Outside the court on Monday, Zuma told supporters he’d be happy to lead the country again. However, Swana noted, there is still a legal question over whether Zuma could ever become president again, as he was already in his second term when he was forced out.
Rather than directly electing a president, South Africans vote for members of parliament. Whichever party wins a majority then puts their leader forward as president. Independent analyst Asanda Ngoasheng said Tuesday’s developments are concerning.
“We now have the potential of someone who has faced or is facing multiple allegations of corruption and bankrupting the state being able to kind of keep coming back,” Ngoasheng said. “Is Jacob Zuma really turning out to be Mr. Teflon as he has been called, with nothing ever sticking to him, or will something come that will trip him up?”
Last month the ANC went to court to try to prevent Zuma’s new party from using the name uMkhonto weSizwe, which was also the name of the ANC’s disbanded armed wing.
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@observer Sat, 13 Apr 2024 06:30:06
Why your Pay TV service provider is not about to lower your subscription
Several commentators have already written the eulogy of mainstream television, especially Pay TV, claiming it is only a matter of when, not if, before they get wiped off the entertainment scene by streaming services, but as FRANK KISAKYE writes, Pay TV if anything, is only increasing investments and attracting new investors.
If the French entertainment giant Canal Plus’ (Canal+) January 2024 offer and South Africa’s MultiChoice Group’s rejection of the nearly $3 billion buyout proposition for the remaining shares that Canal+ doesn’t already own tell you about the promising future of pay TV, then you need to think again.
Canal+ would not offer that much if they saw no future, and MultiChoice would not reject if they were indeed worried about their prospects.
Why is Canal+, which has since increased its stake in MultiChoice to 35.01%, so interested in buying out MultiChoice that they have now sought the help of Africa’s first black billionaire, Patrice Motsepe (also president of the Confederation of African Football) to help seal the deal, yet we have been severally told that online streams are soon replacing terrestrial television and satellite television?
On the subscribers’ side, however, the now perennial subscription increments (March for StarTimes and April for MultiChoice) are unjustified, more so for “repeated” and “old” content. But what justifies these increments? The Observer explores.
TAXES
An innocent question many high school students interested in journalism often ask is, how do radios and television stations make money? To them, the TVs and radio stations broadcast to their sets or phones (for Gen Zs) for free, anyway.
With the emergence of pay TV, the question is almost almost self-explanatory now, but it still lingers. Unbeknownst to them is that even for free-to-air (FTA) television, before the content gets to their sets, an avalanche of taxes has to be paid, never mind the daily operational costs. Officially, the regulator, Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) categorises the TVs under FTA, pay TV and hybrid (those that broadcast on both).
Regardless of category, all of them pay an application fee of $2,500 (about Shs 9.5 million). For regional broadcast, the station must pay an initial entry of $5,400 (about Shs 20 million) and then annual fees of $2,700 (about Shs 10 million).
All these fees are exclusive of VAT and the trading license, which vary according to location and company portfolio. Expectedly, the fees are higher for pay TV.
The license application fee is the same at $2,500. Thereafter, the station must pay $27,000 (Shs 103 million) as the initial entry fee and then the annual fee of $20,300 (Shs 77 million). Beyond those fees, as The Observer discovered, for FTA, broadcasters pay Shs 6.6 million annually for mast space (although Multichoice has its own mast which is an even higher cost).
Additionally, there is also Shs 12 million charged monthly by Signet (UBC signal distribution arm, which was born following the digital migration in 2015 when UCC switched off all analogue television signals.)
The Media Council of Uganda, which classifies content (age suitability and ratings), charges 250,000 for every 12 minutes reviewed. This means a one-hour movie/programme is charged at least Shs 1.4 million. The Uganda Performing Right Society (UPRS) which claims to administer copyright in music on behalf of both local and international musicians, also charges broadcasters Shs 2 million annually.
LOCAL CONTENT
Lately, local content is all the rage and the two pay TV market leaders, MultiChoice and StarTimes have gone into developing and promoting of local content, with MultiChoice clearly in the lead here.
The investments are intentional, according to StarTimes vice president, Aldrine Nsubuga Snr. The investment of $500,000 per year in general entertainment in the three local TV stations, Makula Kika, Sanyuka Prime and Makula that run locally procured content has begun to bear fruit.
He says two years since Makula channel was launched, it is their most viewed channel on StarTimes’ 80 channel catalogue, which he says is an endorsement and appreciation for local content.
For the Uganda Premier League, Nsubuga says, they have invested over $7m in securing the broadcast rights for 10 years and the Shs 4 billion per year towards production and broadcast of 150 live games is money that goes directly to Fufa TV and Next Media, the two companies in charge of production.
“For us, this is indicative of what the audience wants and we have to invest more. Everyone thought people had lost interest in local content, but the audience has reversed the trend and we have to listen to the audience,” he said.
But no player has possibly invested in local content as much as MultiChoice Africa, and their legacy and success stories are implanted forever on the continent’s film industry through their MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) launched in 2019.
The MTF-accredited regional academies in Nairobi, Kenya serving East Africa, Lagos, Nigeria (West Africa), Lusaka, Zambia (Southern Africa) offer hands-on 12-month experience and theory training to 60-74 emerging talents every year from across 14 countries on the continent in cinematography, editing, audio production and storytelling, among other film disciplines.
They are trained by experts from established global brands such as Dolby Laboratories, Zee World, New York Film Academy, and FOX Portugal. Rinaldi Jamugisa, MultiChoice public relations and communications manager, said on the three MultiChoice local content channels, Prime Magic (PM), Prime Magic Plus (PMP) and Prime Magic Loko (PML), they have over 20 commissioned and licensed shows showcasing a diverse range of talent from the Ugandan creative community.
He says in the last three or four years, the success of those local content channels has been due to MultiChoice Uganda’s strategic investments and a deep understanding of the Ugandan entertainment landscape.
“We have invested in local content productions, nurtured our local talents through skills training and production support and mentorship, creating a strong connection with the Ugandan filmmakers, creating a ripple value effect on our very diverse audience.”
Jamugisa adds that MultiChoice has also tried to be as inclusive as possible in regard to local content with shows like Junior Drama Club (JDC), now in its second season, resonating well with younger audiences. Damalie, Mizigo Express, Prestige and Sanyu are more cherished for their relatability in many Ugandan homes, while the recently concluded season of Kampala Crème appealed more to the elites.
When prompted, StarTimes and MultiChoice were uncomfortable revealing how much they pay for the local shows, but according to The Observer findings, StarTimes pays producers about Shs 2.5 million per episode while DStv’s pay is dependent on one’s production costs since the pay tv buys the concept rather than already produced material.
One producer said: “MultiChoice should know that they don’t pay us enough, but at least they are better than StarTimes. We invite these guys to come to our productions and see that they don’t pay us enough, only that we love what we do.”
Both Jamugisa and Nsubuga say the justification for the subscription price increment is that content is expensive. Could it be why cheaper initiatives such as Kwese TV and GTV failed to take off, despite the pomp and promise they held?
Also, StarTimes and MultiChoice argue that they invest a bulk of their earnings back into Uganda through talent development. Ugandan actors and producers are now enjoying better pay for their craft, high-quality productions and sets, as well as advanced film technology, all of which Jamugisa said MultiChoice is directly involved in.
Jamugisa said, for example, four Ugandan MTF alumni from the class of 2020 (Abubaker Isiko, Victoria Nakimbowa, Daisy Masembe and Pius Talemwa) began a production house, Gogolo Films in 2021.
“Aaron Tamale from the first cohort (2018/19) now works as a First AD in Zebra Productions in Nairobi, Kenya” he said.
Zebra Productions is producing the adaptation of the South African drama series, Gomora. Ivan Tusabe from the class of 2022 is part of the production crew for DStv- commissioned film under Maisha Magic Movies titled, Ego Check.
Isiko has gone on to win awards including one for the best post-production/editing for the film, The Passenger at the recently ended Uganda Film Festival. Presently, he contributes his expertise in sound design to one of DStv’s shows, Sanyu.
On the other hand, Victoria Nakimbowa has been a scriptwriter for the concluded Prestige series and set designer for the ongoing Beloved series on Pearl Magic Prime. She has also won awards, while Cissy Nalumansi has gone on to win several awards and produce feature films.
In terms of production, productions like Sanyu (Matthew Nabwiso), Prestige (Nathaniel Magoola), Juniors Drama Club (Allan Manzi), DamaLie (Doreen Mirembe), Date My Family (Judithiana Namazzi) have been recognized by UCC and other film awards.
PIRACY
The Observer’s questions to UCC regarding copyright and piracy were unanswered by press time, but a UCC official who did not want to be quoted, previously told The Observer that as a regulator, they found pay TV stations in Uganda ‘exploitative’ and although they were aware of several piracy equipment in the country especially those broadcasting via Internet Protocol television IPTV, they are tempted to let subscribers choose what is best and cheaper for them.
Indeed, these pirated services are cheaper but unreliable, since without any known physical presence in the country, they can circumvent licenses and taxes and also don’t invest anything in terms of content production but rather pick on what others have already invested in.
John Vianney Nsimbe, who has worked for several TV productions, says from the production perspective, the subscription prices for pay TV are fully justified. He says even MultiChoice’s premium package of Shs 290,000 is justified because that would be less than Shs 10,000 per day.
“For the content offered throughout the day, is that content really worth that price? I have been with DStv and have seen the investment they put into their productions and when you see what they invest in and what they charge, it’s all justified. For example for CECAFA games that I worked on in Tanzania, we would be in the stadium doing pre-productions with the entire crew as early as 9am for games meant to start at 4pm. We would go through lineups, player stats, research and there would be 30 to 40 crew and over 10 high-end cameras for just one game. Their OB van was like a [small apartment]!” Nsimbe said.
Pirated services remain cheaper, but they invest zero in terms of infrastructure, content creation or content buying; not so for Pay TV; so, it could be a while before you see a cut in subscription fees.
fkisakye@observer.ug
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