Male Deogratius : Silence in the Face of Injustice: The Media’s Divided House and the Need for Solidarity

Opinion:

It is deeply troubling that when a journalist from a smaller or emerging media house is brutally beaten or arbitrarily arrested by security forces, the industry often remains silent, as if nothing significant has occurred. Yet, when the same happens to journalists from mainstream media organizations—the so-called “Big Brands”—the entire nation is shaken. This glaring double standard exposes the deep divisions and unprofessionalism within Uganda’s media industry.

Take the case of Top TV journalist Miracle Ibrah, who was brutally assaulted by Joint Anti-Terrorism Taskforce (JATT) officers while covering the Kawempe North by-election nomination exercise. His left eye was shattered, nearly costing him his vision. Despite the severity of the incident, major media outlets like NBS TV and NTV gave him less than 15 seconds of coverage in their news bulletins. Even more disheartening, some individual journalists mocked Ibrah on social media, dismissing him because he worked for what they called a “fake pastor’s media house,” one allegedly notorious for delayed salary payments.

While there is nothing wrong with exposing employers who exploit workers, the moment a journalist is fighting for his life is not the time for such criticism. Labor injustices can be addressed through legal avenues, such as labor unions and the Employment Act. What we witnessed instead was a lack of empathy and solidarity, a reflection of the toxic divisions that plague our industry.

The media in Uganda is increasingly fragmented. Journalists are divided along lines of employer, seniority, and perceived prestige. Media House X fights with Media House Y, reporters gossip about and undermine one another, and unprofessionalism stretches from content creation to personal rivalries. Teamwork among journalists has long been dead, and not even prayers can resurrect it—not even the Jesus-Lazarus way.

In some cases, journalists are being used as pawns in personal battles between media owners. For instance, if a pastor who owns a media house dislikes another pastor who runs a competing outlet, his journalists automatically become tools in that rivalry. This division extends further to questions of who is “better” in the media, who has been in the industry longer, and who deserves more recognition. Senior journalists often refuse to listen, believing they know it all, while junior journalists have developed an “I don’t care” attitude. It’s a toxic cycle that shows no sign of ending.

This situation reminds me of Martin Niemöller, the Lutheran pastor in Nazi Germany who initially supported Nazi ideas but later realized his mistake. He famously reflected on his silence during the war:

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.”

Today, many “Big Brand” journalists believe that junior or freelance journalists are responsible for the industry’s challenges. Nobody sympathizes with them, even when they are beaten, arrested, or dehumanized. The veterans treat rising journalists with disdain, and the cycle continues. But until they come for you, you won’t realize that we are all in the same boat.

The State is actively fueling these divisions. The government uses propaganda and misinformation to keep journalists fragmented. Some media houses sell their space and airtime to silence critical stories, ensuring that dissenting voices remain unheard. Meanwhile, online journalists are dismissed as “quacks” and “masqueraders,” even though many are trained professionals who either couldn’t break into the “Big Brands” or chose to build their own platforms.

But should we continue to be victims of these injustices? Absolutely not!

The divide-and-conquer strategy has oppressed us for too long. It is time for journalists to think collectively, set aside personal and organizational differences, and build a united industry—one founded on love, empathy, and solidarity rather than competition, seniority, or employer allegiances.

As both the Bible and Qur’an remind us, a divided house cannot stand. If the media industry remains fragmented, how can we stand against military brutality targeting our colleagues? Young journalists and smaller media houses continue to suffer at the hands of the big brands, and as Martin Niemöller warned, silence is complicity.

The only way forward is to build solidarity, work together, take a stand, and even boycott covering security and government events if necessary. Without unity and resistance, we will remain victims of state persecution one by one, until there’s no one left to speak out.

The time to act is now. Let us rise above our differences and fight for a media industry that stands together in the face of injustice.