Media houses struggle to find experienced journalists to cover 2026 elections

As Uganda edges closer to the 2026 general elections, many media organizations find themselves in a state of panic, grappling with an exodus of senior journalists and a grim economic environment.

Traditionally, the election season has been a lucrative period for media houses, attracting increased viewership, readership, and advertising revenue.

It has also been a period when media houses compete on the quality of news coverage, each trying to prove that it is ahead of its rivals.

However, the current situation paints a different picture, with some of the country’s biggest media outlets struggling to assemble effective editorial teams that will cover the elections.

Insiders within various media houses told Bbeg Media that many managers are scratching their heads wondering how they are going to navigate the coming election period without experienced editorial staff.

Several established media organizations, including the Daily Monitor, The Observer, and New Vision, have lost key editorial staff to better-paying opportunities.

Many veteran journalists have moved to NGOs or corporate communications roles that offer better job security and pay. Others are running their private ventures.

This wave of departures has left newsrooms with a significant skills gap at a time when experience and depth in political reporting are crucial.

“We are in a situation where we might have to rely on young reporters or interns for election coverage. But these lack the experience and the institutional memory,” said one editor at Daily Monitor, who preferred to remain anonymous.

The situation is no better for leading television stations such as NTV Uganda and NBS TV. Since the last election, both stations have witnessed the departure of seasoned reporters and producers, leading to growing concerns about the quality and depth of political coverage.

At NTV, senior field reporters Francis Jjingo and Ali Mivule have moved on. This is in addition to experienced producers like Williams Kato, Emmanuel Mutaizibwa and Linda Kibombo.

At NBS TV, seasoned reporters like John Kibalizi, Joseph Sabiti and Daniel Lutaaya who formed the core of the 2021 election coverage team have since left.

So have senior producers like Noah Kyeyune, Wisdom Kiyonga and Dalton Kaweesa, who was shown the exit last month.

The economic challenges facing Uganda’s media industry have exacerbated the crisis. Many organizations have never fully recovered from the COVID-19-induced economic depression and are struggling to stay afloat.

Declining advertising revenue, rising operational costs, and competition from digital media platforms, like Bbeg Media, have not made matters any easier.

Print media, in particular, has been hit hard, with reduced newspaper circulation further straining revenue streams.

Combined, the two leading daily papers (New Vision and Daily Monitor) today sell less than 15,000 copies, according to knowledgeable sources within the industry.

The Observer, whose in-depth coverage of past elections was the envy of many, is said to be running on fumes.

The New Vision last year closed its Sunday paper and came up with a single weekend edition to stem costs.

All these have created an atmosphere of uncertainty among remaining staff, further fueling the exodus of talent.

Despite the ongoing staff shortages, some media organizations, we have been told, are planning to recruit new personnel ahead of the elections.

A senior manager at Next Media told Bbeg Media that they could “raid” other stations ahead of the elections, to beef up their team.

Yet the bigger challenge is finding competent and experienced journalists willing to work under the current conditions. Many potential recruits could be deterred by low pay and job insecurity.

Unless urgent interventions are made, leading media organizations, this coming election season, may struggle to fulfill their cardinal role, leaving the public with limited access to credible and in-depth election reporting.