Press Freedom: I dropped my BBA course at MUK for Journalism

There are countable hours to World Press Freedom Day [03rd May] where various states of the world celebrates the role played by media in society development as well as reviewing the environment in which media practitioners operate.

Our www.parrots.com insight today is on “Celebrating Young Females in Media” journalism students in various training institutions in Uganda as a way if building the next generation of non-biased journalists.

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Ritah Babirye Nakayiwa, a first year student of Bachelor of Journalism at Ndejje University Kampala is one of the influential yet unknown students who are laying an immovable-firm as a rock journalism foundation for the generations to come.

In an interview with Our Parrotsug reporter, Melanin Quin, revealed that she suspended her BBA studies at the Ivory Tower for a journalism course on realising that future would hold no waters for her with a business course.

“It wasn’t my thing, am now doing something I’m passionate about.”

The Mengo campus would then be her best choice given its long standing reputation in producing best journalists in the country on top of accommodating many media houses on its hill with the Buganda Kingdom’s BBSTV, CBSFm topping the list.

Melanin Quin (as she prefers being called to owing to her black chocolate skin) has built her name at Mengo based Ndejje Campus and all over social media with her Latest Entertainment, Fashion, Clebrity Gossip show dubbed “Jazz Blitz.”

You wouldn’t commit an offence saying she’s Presenter and a half at Spark TV’s Live Wire gossip show or an outstanding presenter Kamwokya based Next Media Services would hire for her NBS TV UnCut show.

As would do anyone passionate about journalism career, Melanin Quin couldn’t settle for less especially at this time when a bigger number of Ugandans, students and social media users staying at home are busy scrolling on their phone screens looking for trending #tags and News to beat up the corona virus fatigue. She thought of an idea to startup a Radio-like Magazine show aimed at promoting the black beauty and the African fashion culture.

She with the help of her Producer Roland, at Ndejje FM (a University station) started working on her Radio Magazine show “Jazz Blitz” informing listeners on latest entertainment, celebrity gossip, fashion et al.

Asked about the influence of her radio show on the lives of the students, followers on social media, she had this to say:

“…people out there get entertained , informed , motivated and inspired , and so on and so forth. The show that’s steadily gaining space on social media with many young girls embracing their melanin colors. “

Ritah (Melanin Quin) stated that her dream is to be one of the most celebrated TV personalities citing out Gabriella Bridget Ntaate of Spark TV Live Wire (co host) as her role model who after watching series of her programs, inspired her (Ritah) to enroll for a media course.

“Honestly I want to become a celebrated TV personality any time from now. It is always an honor to say that I was and am still inspired by Gabriella Bridget Ntaate ,a celebrated TV presenter of Spark Tv’s Live wire show , she’s my inspiration and I love her so much,”

Ndejje Fm is a University station aiming at orienting journalism students with practicle skills and expose them to the working environment in the industry.

An anonymous lecturer at one of the oldest journalism training institutions in town told this site that the Jazz Blitz has rare to find segments in a radio program something he believes would sell in town.

“A few radio programs focus on beauty contests and fashion, the creativity in this show would automatically sell it to more employers,” anonymous.

Melanin Quin, implores journalism students particularly females to get out of their comfort zones explore ànd expose their talents than blaming violation of press freedom on stereotypes set up by the ancestral society.

“Discover yourself than letting all opportunities be grabbed by guys, you too could do better,” she urged.

This year’s World PressFreedom day is organized on the theme: “Journalism Without Fear or Favour” meant to emphasize on objective, balanced and fairness reporting. However, there will be no celebrations unlike in the recent past. This is due to the novel COVID-19 pandemic that had paralyzed almost all businesses across the globe.