Ugandan journalists are some of the most hardworking professionals. They are also among the least paid. However, many (not all) have manners that embarrass the profession. Below are 10 annoying habits of Ugandan journalists.
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Ill-informed
Journalists are expected to know more than the average person on the street. In Uganda however, many journalists are ill-informed about many of the current events and developments. They don’t make research and rely on street rumours even in the sectors they cover. It is not uncommon to find a reporter who has covered Parliament for five years but who can’t explain in concise terms how are bill becomes a law.
Packing items from events
The habit of packing items from events could be a Ugandan thing but it is also common among friends in the media. Besides packing snacks in serviettes from functions, some journalists will pocket items like folks, spoons and the brave ones will even pocket table cloths and steal bathroom soap.
Fighting for food and drinks
Poverty in Uganda is real but this does not mean that we should embarrass ourselves. Journalists in Uganda have that annoying habit of fighting for food and drinks at functions. We don’t know whether it is about poor pay or personal character but this is common, particularly among broadcast journalists.
Acting important
Journalists in Uganda want to be treated specially. They want to be given the front row seats at functions. They wave their IDs in people’s faces. Some want to flout security guidelines at events. If they are caught on the wrong side of the law, some ask: “Don’t you know who am I?”
Going after news subjects/sources for money
Some journalists like going after news subjects for money. These target rich businessmen and politicians who crave publicity. Some will concoct negative stories about these people and then call them for their response. Naturally the conversation will boil down to a settlement.
Gate-crashing functions
Some of us gate-crash functions which we are not invited for. That is a fact. Go to any major hotel in Kampala, you will find journalists scanning the notice board looking for events to attend. They fluke events whose agenda they are not sure of. Many of these journalists are looking for a meal card and some transport refund.
Late coming
Ugandan journalists rarely keep time. If you tell them that a function starts at 9.00 am, the time-conscious ones will arrive at 9.30 am. To make matters worse, they want to leave early even when the function is still going on. This is frustrating for some event organisers.
Asking silly questions
We ask silly questions largely because we are not well-informed. This habit is common in young journalists eager to impress. There are some questions you hear and want to take cover. Sometimes, we ask insensitive questions like, “how do you feel after the loss of your child?”
Poor hygiene
What does it cost to shave our beards regularly? Why do some male journalists smell like he-goats? Why do our breaths have that whiff of alcohol we took in a Kafunda last night? We need to up our game when it comes to personal hygiene guys because some news subjects want to hold their noses when they are talking to us.
Dressing inappropriately
Related to the above, many journalists dress inappropriately for some functions. We put on faded T-shirts and dirty jeans for cocktail functions. Some of us wear sports shoes and football jerseys on a Monday. Some female journalists put on body-hugging outfits leaving people uncomfortable at functions. We need to change this.