When you watch the news it all seems so smooth- a presenter presents, then a reporter reports, then the credits and the adverts roll. But behind the scenes there is a machine running 24 hours a day, seven days a week to maintain that illusion of effortless broadcast. The machine is constructed from many different moving parts and characters, chugging along as they strive to deliver content that will keep the audience entertained.
Uganda’s media landscape, though vibrant and fast-paced, is a tough market. Its consumers demand the truth, while the state often finds that same truth inconvenient or unsuitable. The competition is stiff, with barriers to entry dropping as new technologies make slick production more accessible and affordable every day. Journalists often face danger as they carry out their duty of bearing witness in risky places. The commodity they produce goes out of date if it’s kept too long, and sometimes it’s dangerous to collect. But every day they pile into their cars and rush off to all corners of the city and the country, hunting for stories that will get a response from their viewers.
This project is an exploration of what it takes to make that happen, capturing the complicated ecosystem between directors, producers, anchors, cameramen, technicians, the control command center, the fleet and, of course, the administration. I joined Nation Broadcasting Services (NBS) as an intern in 2017, later graduating to a position as a content photographer, and through my career with the company I have come to greatly appreciate the intricacy of the machine that I am a part of. NBS produces a wide range of content every day, from entertainment and political talk shows to in-depth investigations and breaking news reports. All of this just to make sure that when you sit down on your sofa, there’s something engaging on the TV.
