By Victor Turinawe
Stakeholders in Uganda’s media and communication industry have urged closer collaboration between journalists and the public, saying genuine partnerships are key to improving how information flows and how public relations roles are fulfilled.
The call came during a Meet and Greet event held yesterday at Uganda Christian University (UCU) Main Campus, Mukono. The gathering, organised by the university’s Director of Communication and Public Relations, Harriet Adong Atuyambe, drew together journalists from leading media houses and members of the Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU).
Held under the theme “Synergy in Storytelling: Forging a New Partnership between Academia and Media”, the afternoon discussion created space for journalists, academics, and communication professionals to share their experiences and frustrations and to imagine a better way forward.
Dr. Sam Kazibwe, a senior lecturer in Journalism, Media and Communication at UCU, said collaboration between journalists and institutions should begin with conversations, not just formal documents.
“Partnerships start with engagement like this, not necessarily with signing MOUs,” he said. “Journalists need access to experts and credible sources so they can report accurately. Sometimes researchers hesitate to speak to the media because they fear being misunderstood. But with open collaboration, that gap can be bridged.”
From a practitioner’s perspective, Moses Al-Sayed Lubega, President of the Uganda Sports Press Association (USPA), pointed out that journalists need more than goodwill—they need opportunities and resources.
“If we want quality reporting, we must invest in journalists,” he said. “It’s hard to find institutions offering scholarships or training to media practitioners, yet we expect them to cover complex areas like research or academia effectively.”
For Prof. Elizabeth Kizito, building partnerships also means valuing and creating local knowledge.
“During my research, I found it difficult to get Ugandan content,” she shared. “We often rely too heavily on international material, yet we have a wealth of local stories waiting to be told. Working together can change that.”
Closing the discussion, David Mugawe, UCU’s Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, urged academics to see the media as vital partners in making knowledge accessible.
“Some academicians think their job ends once a book is published,” he said. “But knowledge only lives when it’s shared. The media helps us take that knowledge to the people who need it.”
The event ended on a warm note, with participants mingling and exchanging contacts—hopeful that the conversations started in Mukono would lead to a new spirit of cooperation between the media, academia, and the public.
Adong Atuyambe said the university plans to make such engagements regular, adding, “When we build trust and openness between journalists and institutions, we all tell Uganda’s story better.”
