Light Magazine to launch the Friends of Media Awards

By Eric Nzabirinda

The linkage between Corporations or Organisations, Agencies and the media has been sluggish, despite the continued working relations, which exists on the fact that these sectors need each other to survive, but without a win-win situation.

According to a survey conducted by Light Magazine, it found out that the Media and the corporations need each other in order to thrive and be profitable but sometimes each side churns out the products the   other doesn’t feel comfortable adopting.

“ For example, Corporations  were telling us the media still lack the ability to  bring out the content that attracts more viewers, listeners and readers which these  organisations  rely on in order to   advertise,” said Ernest Nyetera, Chief Executive Officer, Light Magazine.

Others, as Nyetera said, commented on the fact that the media lack creativity and innovation to be able to carry out objective, developmental and informative reporting, but despite these, they continued channelling money to the media in form of advertisements and sponsorship.

“And despite all these, the organisations and Corporations have continued to keep their budget to the media partnership stable and in some cases, even raising it, which gives hope for the media sector that  depends on these corporations that serve as sponsors and advertisers,”   said Prof. Vince Sinining, Managing Director of Light Magazine.

On the other hand, the media also complained of corporations interfering with objective reporting where they threaten to withdraw or not advertise or sponsor when a media house would dare to point out issues that the organisation does not want to be revealed.

Prof. Sinining noted that despite these disparities, there is still hope that the linkages could be closed to have a healthy working relationship between these sectors.

 “This is why we thought of honouring organisations and corporations that have been supporting the media through advertisements and sponsorships,” he said.

The awards named Friends of Media Awards-FMA, is the first of its kind in Africa and is expected to be  launched in December ,2019 . It will recognise businesses and organisations that have supported  the mainstream media as sponsors and advertisers.

“We will contact media houses and provide us with organisations that have been supporting them to help us draw the  list  of those that will be selected for the awards,” Dias Nyesiga, Chief Editor , light magazine  said.

“So to get the final potential winners, we will see who of these have supported a cross section of media houses but also look at approximately on how much they spent,” he added.

 The winners will be awarded at an award ceremony that will host both public and private sector players, diplomats, media and representatives of other sectors of the economy. During the ceremony, Light Magazine will also launch its three sector based publications, as well as a special Edition that ushers in Light  Magazine’s new approach to Development Journalism.

Also, the publication will   unveil its   training and support program which is under its Corporate social  responsibility of providing internship and hands on skills  for  journalism students as well as refresher training  for Public relations officers.