Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism (MADJ)

First Supervisor/Advisor

Benjamin Muindi

Second Supervisor/Advisor

Joy Mueni

Department

Graduate School of Media and Communications

Abstract

The training of journalists has become an important element in enhancing the development of the media due to the popular global conjecture that a developed media consequently helps citizens to make informed decisions. But a number of factors like the choice of areas for training that needs funding and challenges media experiences in enhancing media development have over the time stifled the operations of the Ugandan media limiting its ability to advance issues of public interest (McChesney, 2008:37;Nyarko, 2015).This study therefore sought to identify areas covered by the training grants in the past five years (2019-2023), analyse the contribution of the journalism training grants in the practice at The New Vision and Daily Monitor and to determine the challenges media houses experience with training grants in enhancing media development. The study on the contribution of the training grants to the Ugandan media was necessary given that the existing literature on the training grants does not adequately address the topical issue. Yet media is increasingly becoming the source of information for people. A qualitative approach was used on the two media outlets with an aim of furthering an understanding on the Contribution of the training grants to the Ugandan Media whereby a case study and qualitative interviews and Key Informant Interviews were the main methods used in this study. The interviews were used to collect participants’ views on the areas covered by the training grants, contribution to the development of the Ugandan media, experiences and challenges with the training grants in enhancing media development. The study found that journalists and editors benefit through knowledge, and skills’ acquisition and non-monetary support like cameras and recorders that help them to execute their work. The findings noted that, the grants have done a lot in building a robust media in Uganda. But also showed that without consultation with media managers, the grantors impose their own interests, particularly when it comes to the selecting areas earmarked for training. This study was anchored on the Drive Theory of Social Facilitation, Theory of Change in Media and Development Media Theory that reasons that the training grants have contributed to the development of the media. And that, in future, funding should be extended to other media outlets. It gave recommendations and conclusions for the future references. This study used qualitative approach. In qualitative approach, 20 journalists and 10 editors from The New Vision and Daily Monitor were interviewed in a bid to explore the contribution of the training grants to the Ugandan media.

Download

Share

COinS