NMG-Uganda Shutdown Halts Crucial Intern Training

The recent closure of Nation Media Group Uganda (NMG-U) has significantly disrupted the professional development of 45 university student interns. These students were undertaking a mandatory two-month industrial training, a crucial component of their academic curriculum, which was cut short after just three weeks.

Security forces surrounded NMG-U’s headquarters and broadcast facilities on June 28, bringing all operations to a standstill. This sudden halt not only impacted the media house’s news output but also left the interns facing an uncertain future.

Interns like Vicky Kyampiire, a third-year Journalism and Mass Communication student at Kampala International University, expressed shock. Despite prior public threats against the media house, she believed press freedom, guaranteed by the Ugandan Constitution, would prevent such an action. “The closure disrupted my internship and robbed me of the opportunity for practical learning and mentorship from experienced journalists,” she stated.

Doreen Nanyondo, also a third-year Journalism student at Uganda Martyrs University, Nkozi, shared a similar sentiment. “I was very happy to be selected among thousands of applicants. It was my first time joining such a big media house, and I knew I would learn from experienced journalists,” she said, lamenting the loss of potential skills in TV news production.

The disruption has forced the students to scramble for alternative internship placements, a difficult task as most institutions had already filled their slots. “When I started applying elsewhere in the second week, I was told they had already filled all internship positions,” Ms. Kyampiire explained. Many radio stations contacted were also unable to accommodate additional interns, leaving these students struggling to fulfill their academic requirements.

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/interns-recount-disrupted-training-after-nmg-u-shutdown-5544880