Uganda, media sign MoU

According to the recently-signed MoU, UCC and MC shall collaborate and share experiences in the promotion and regulation of the film industry, skills and technology transfers and capacity building.

A functional office with Media Council staff will be set up in order to enhance the proper regulation of the film industry particularly for the classification and censorship of films and videos to establish their appropriateness for viewing before they are shown to the public.

This is expected promote the development of the film industry and directly protect the public and children from viewing undesirable content shown in the public places such as cinema and video halls and libraries further, minimise or eliminate piracy thus enabling the authors of the films and video works to benefit from the creativity.

“The commission has made a commitment to provide office space to the Media Council at Communications for the period of one year,” said the executive director of UCC, Godfrey Mutabazi, at the signing ceremony at the UCC board room.
Chairperson of Media Council, Professor Goretti Nassanga, commended UCC for the assistance and emphasised that this gesture will not only strengthen the co-operation between UCC and Media Council, but would help execute the core functions as regulatory agencies.

Prof Nassanga assured UCC that the Media Council would ensure effective and efficient management of the classification process and available resources in accordance with agreed procedures and policies as stated in the MoU.
“Accordingly, the commission will buy the required censorship equipment, facilitate capacity building of their personnel and assist in opening up and managing of a Film Repository.

“The overall purpose of this MoU is to ensure that the film industry in Uganda develops in an orderly manner that promotes and protects Uganda’s culture while creating employment for our nationals,” Mutabazi noted.

The MoU is in line with the sections of the Uganda Communications Act, which among other things, mandates UCC to license  cinematograph theatre, video and film library and to regulate films and videos distribution and exhibition in Uganda under the Stage Plays and Public Entertainment Act  Cap   49.
On the other hand, under the Press and Journalist Act CAP 105, the Media Council is mandated to censor films, videotapes, plays and other related materials for public consumption. – CAJ News.