What does the future hold for journalism in Northern Uganda? To celebrate World News Day, NUMEC’s Executive Director, ALFRED ORYEM, discusses the organisation’s shift from a club-led structure to an NGO, challenges that financially stressed newsrooms are facing, and how NUMEC’s inaugural “Digital Journalism and Innovation Fellowship” is arming journalists with digital skills to tell their stories amid the rapidly changing media landscape.
*This interview has been edited for length.
Primary goal as the new NUMEC Executive Director during this six-month probationary phase
My immediate priority is to operationalise the recommendations of the AGM held in April this year and consolidate the transition from a membership-driven club into a professionally governed and sustainable media development organisation. I wouldn’t say I am on probation, but I have been given six months to act in this role as the board settles in and to get things going. Since the board is still new, the idea was to have someone who has been part of the Secretariat lead this transition, and we believe six months is enough time to lay the foundations. We’re already halfway through, and we’ve been working to strengthen governance systems—the Board is operational and now meets regularly — improve financial and administrative systems, and position NUMEC as a trusted institution that serves journalists, communities, and development actors across Northern Uganda.
At the same time, I want to ensure that NUMEC remains relevant in a rapidly changing media environment. That means investing in digital journalism, journalist safety, media freedom, community storytelling, and youth digital innovation. Ultimately, this transition period will lay a strong institutional foundation that will enable NUMEC to grow beyond projects and become a permanent platform for media development, accountability, and civic participation.
NUMEC plans after having its first Annual General Meeting (AGM) in years
The AGM was important because it demonstrated transparency and accountability. Members were able to review the organisation’s performance, financial records, and future direction before electing a new board. This process helped rebuild confidence and ownership among members.
Going forward, we intend to increase member engagement through regular communication, professional development opportunities, networking events, fellowships, mentorship programmes, and stronger representation of member interests. We’re already improving the media resource center by disposing of the old furniture and equipment and bringing in new ones. The media resource center is important because it provides a free working space for journalists, fully equipped with desktop computers, audiovisual equipment, WiFi and other social amenities. So, journalists are able to come together on a daily basis and share resources. This presents an opportunity for peer exchange and mentorship. It also eases the pressure on newsrooms as their reporters have access to a safe working environment. We also want the Board to play an active role in expanding partnerships and resource mobilisation so that members can see tangible value from being part of NUMEC. Trust grows when people see both transparency and results and we’re up for it.
How NUMEC’s inaugural Digital Journalism Fellowship directly speaks to World News Day
The fellowship is our response to the changing nature of journalism and the growing need for journalists to remain relevant in a digital world. Journalism remains valuable because people need credible, verified, and evidence-based information, but the way audiences consume information has changed dramatically.
The fellowship equips journalists with skills in multimedia storytelling, podcasting, photography, videography, data journalism, AI-assisted reporting, audience engagement, and digital publishing. By helping journalists adapt to new technologies and platforms, we are ensuring that quality journalism continues to serve communities and remains a public good as well as reclaim some of the spaces being taken up by the so-called influencers.
The biggest gap journalists face when transitioning to digital journalism
The biggest gap is no longer reporting itself. Most journalists know how to gather information and write stories. The challenge is packaging those stories for digital audiences. Many journalists in this region struggle with multimedia production, audience engagement, podcasting, mobile video, data visualisation, and understanding how content performs across digital platforms. There is also a skills gap around AI tools, verification, and digital safety.
The other challenge is mindset. Some journalists still think in terms of producing content for a newsroom rather than creating content for audiences. The future belongs to journalists who can tell stories across multiple formats while maintaining professional standards.
Immediate impact from journalists after the NUMEC fellowship
I hope to see more locally produced, high-quality stories that reflect the realities, aspirations, and challenges of communities in Northern Uganda. Too often, important local stories never reach wider audiences.
Through the fellowship, we want to see increased production of multimedia stories, podcasts, photo essays, investigative reports, and data-driven journalism. For instance, it has been 20 years since the Juba Peace Agreement, so who’s going to audit the peace promises and tell us where we stand? A good data-driven investigative piece should be able to uncover a lot. We also want local newsrooms to become more innovative and audience-focused. For NUMEC, the goal is to create a growing repository of impactful public-interest journalism while demonstrating that Northern Uganda has stories worth telling and journalists capable of telling them.
How journalists in northern Uganda can leverage opportunities from digital platforms
The traditional business model for journalism is under significant pressure. Advertising revenues are shrinking while competition for audiences is increasing. The good news is that our journalists are responding to the disruption. So, digital innovation for me provides alternative pathways. Journalists can generate income through content creation, freelance work, digital marketing, podcasting, newsletters, branded storytelling, training, and audience-supported models. They can also build personal brands and access regional and global markets through digital platforms.
Our objective is not only to train journalists to tell stories but also to equip them with skills that help them earn from those skills. We want journalism and content creation to become viable livelihood opportunities for young people in this part of the world.
How NUMEC is supporting the safety of journalists
Journalist safety is becoming a core area of our work. We have previously provided legal and medical support to journalists facing threats, invested in protective gear, and delivered digital safety training.
Currently, we are strengthening our capacity to support journalists through digital security initiatives, peer-support networks, safeguarding systems, and plans for a journalist support and resilience desk. We are also advocating for safer environments in which journalists can work without fear of intimidation or harassment.
How NUMEC ensures that marginalised communities are fairly represented in the media
We intentionally place community voices at the centre of our work. Our approach is based on the belief that people should not merely be subjects of stories but active participants in shaping narratives about their lives.
Through community journalism, storytelling projects, reporting grants, media literacy initiatives, and partnerships with community radio stations, we amplify the perspectives of women, youth, refugees, persons with disabilities, and rural communities that are frequently overlooked in mainstream media. In 2021, for instance, we documented the impact of Covid-19-induced lockdown on teenage pregnancy, where our investigation revealed a staggering number of close to 17,000 school-going girls, some impregnated by their own relatives as the lockdown meant that they were always stuck with those relatives. In 2022 we investigated the impact of climate change on smallholder farmers in Northern Uganda and last year we profiled Friends of Zoka, an organization fighting to protect Zoka Forest which is at the brink of extinction. All these are efforts aimed at amplifying community voices.
Beyond that, we also encourage journalists to move beyond event-based reporting and spend time understanding community realities, challenges, and solutions.
World News Day message to journalists, media partners and civil society organisations?
I’d say this: strong communities require strong information ecosystems. NUMEC is not just a membership organisation for journalists. It is more and more becoming a platform for development, civic engagement, digital innovation, community storytelling, and accountability. Our work sits at the intersection of journalism, technology, democracy, and development. We understand the realities of Northern Uganda because we are rooted in the region and we’ve been on the frontlines since the 1990s. We work directly with journalists, communities, civil society organisations, and local leaders. By collaborating with NUMEC, partners are investing in an institution committed to strengthening media freedom, amplifying community voices, supporting democratic participation, and preparing the next generation of storytellers and changemakers.
On World News Day, I encourage everyone to support quality journalism because informed citizens remain the foundation of accountable leadership and thriving democracies.
