Last Updated on: 19th September 2022, 10:20 am
The Anniversary theme: “Digital Media, a new Catalyst in the Nation’s Growth.”
By Isabella Awor Olong
Lira City – July 16, 2022: Founded as The Northern Daily (TND) on September 12, 2012, for the last decade, TND News has become the source of information and accurate news – providing a platform to dozens of people in different professional fields.
The newspaper was founded to report on areas that were getting less coverage in the mainstream media at the time.
“Over the years, especially from 2018 when we started operating as TND News, the newspaper has reported on dozens of community-related stories and hundreds of thousands of stories about health, education, politics, religion and culture; special reports, road and transport, WASH, crime, among others,” the publication’s Executive Director and Acting Managing Editor, Milton Emmy Akwam, says.
“Today, we have a team of thirteen [13] committed young men and women in the media – working with us. This team, and others to join us later will see the newspaper’s strategic plans for the next decade (2022~2032) achieved,” Akwam adds.
Looking into the next decade, the executives are optimistic, that amidst economic dare, “a lot more will be achieved”. “There are those who believed in us and there are those who never from the first day: many continue to trust us and as a media entity, our professional roles are clear – to be authentic and employ maximum professionalism,” Akwam said ahead of the September 30, 2022, rearranged event.
“Our platform will focus on a pro-people agenda; we will be telling stories that cause change. TND News will have a bigger percentage in terms of public approval, we are promising that.”
On his part, Frank Oyugi, our Editor and Director of Strategic Communications of GLCSMS, TND News’ parent organization, says, “The year 2022 marks a decade that The Northern Daily publication widely known amongst her readers as TND News was birthed.”
As the first digital newspaper to emerge in Northern Uganda, a region synonymous with vast challenges such as the immense poverty levels as a result of nearly 20 years of civil war, after war, the publication became a gateway for information and a mirror to reflect stories in the remote villages of greater North that would never see the light of day in the traditional media.
“As a publication, we are indebted to our readers who wholeheartedly embraced this innovation and continue to consume our content through the digital platforms and it is our mid most covet that TND News and her parent company Great Lakes Center For Strategic Media Studies [GLCSMS] continue to meet the information needs of our readers across all spectrum.”
“We’re marking 10 years of not only our digital footprint but providing nuanced stories that seek to impact on the society and ensure a paradigm shift in the media landscape,” Oyugi reflects.
He added that we would have loved to boast of many achievements, but if there is one-minute fact to be proud of, is that ethics is the heart of our publication and all the pieces we have produced have never faced any legal challenge, adding that we celebrate this 10 years with a commitment to our readers and followers across the globe that first forward, we are establishing our regional headquarters in Lira City with next plan to found bureaus across other cities.
But most importantly, Director Oyugi who strategically speaks for GLCSMS, adds that in the subsequent years, the organization will strive hard to defend media freedom as we did during the election period.
“We are aware that freedom of speech is enshrined in our Constitution yet the space for media engagement continues to be conscripted.”
What more to expect at 10 years
Some activities have been arranged to celebrate the day and to give back to the communities. Our team, guests, and well-wishers shall:
- Pay visit to Ngetta babies’ home on September 28, 2022.
On September 30, there will be a hybrid Discourse on: “Digital Media, a new Catalyst in the Nation’s Growth.”
On the same day, there will be a mini-fundraising event to support the publication’s works and to officially open Our Head Office in Lira City.
TND am Glad to read this. Please I promise to be one of the guest that day…I am an opinion writer..