Examining the implications of staff turnover on Uganda’s journalism practice

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the implications of staff turnover on journalism practice in Uganda. The study was guided by specific objectives such as; to establish the reasons why Ugandan journalists leave the newsroom, to know how the turnover affects journalism practice and to find out the opportunities and challenges that turnover has on journalism practice. The study involved reporters and editors who have left the newsroom and those who are still practicing, media managers and media scholars who were interviewed extensively using an interview guide. The data was audio recorded and later transcribed for analysis. The study established that generally there is a high staff turnover in Uganda’s newsrooms which is concerning to not only the media houses themselves but to also those who are interested in the democratization process. Majority of the interviewees blamed the high turnover of journalists on poor pay, poor working conditions, competing interests of owners and government. Other issues that also caused journalists to leave newsrooms were; lack of respect for the profession and lack of editorial independence. The research also established that some journalists are pushed out by the government, others simply just get burnt out while others get alternative career paths. The research also discovered that the turnover generally affects the media negatively. It was discovered that the media loses experienced journalists who are capable of holding power to account, the bedrock of media as a watchdog. The turnover in the newsroom, the research found, also contributes to poor or low quality media products as young and inexperienced journalists don’t have the competency that comes with doing something for a long time. The study noted that in order for media houses to be able to retain their staff for a longer time, they must improve their welfare, journalists should also be allowed to have labour unions so that they can collectively agitate for better working conditions.