The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has closed 11 radio stations for not complying with Minimum set standards . this followed public outcry about some of the content aired by the radio stations.
According to the Executive Director George William Nyombi Thembo the shutdown stations are Green Radio 104.3 FM in Mubende ,Voice of Bukuya 89.5 FM in Kasanda District, Eye FM (Nalugooli) – 94.6 in Iganga. Mayuge 99.3 FM in Mayuge district, Kasanda 98.8 FM in Mubende, , Community Green Radio 103.9 in Kiboga Town Council, Mpororo 89.8 FM in Ntungamo, California 103.6 FM in Kiryandongo, Miracle 98.2 FM in Sembabule, Lwamata FM in Kiboga District, and Ngabu 89.9 FM in Bunyangabu.
Nyombi says that investigations the errant stations were found to have breached standards related to unethical programming, and failure to adhere to licensing agreements.
Other transgressions the radio stations committed according to Nyombi, are failure to operate with annual compliance certificate, failure to operate within the technical parameters, operating with non approved equipment, broadcasting content that is contrary to minimum broadcasting standards, failure to pay license fees among others.
“You are not supposed to operate without a license. There are those are licensed, but compliance is the problem,. You don’t see any professionalism.
Radios are becoming centers of abuse; they are abusing everybody, they are abusing leaders, they are abusing each other. This undermines the integrity of the sector, and it must stop. As Commission, when we license you, you must adhere to minimum broadcasting standards. We cannot allow this to continue for the good of everybody. They must be brought to book,” he explained.
In 2021, the UCC directed eleven television stations to reschedule their adult-themed gossip shows to air between 10pm and 5am if they wanted to keep them on air. The Commission said they were not complying with the minimum broadcasting standards.
Nyombi called on broadcasters to follow ethical guidelines, ensuring that programming remains responsible and in line with the law.