This celeb cult virus is killing me. And it seems all media houses have become the voluntary accomplices in spreading this virus. Once upon a time some upmarket newspapers didn’t give much attention to the so-called local celebs.

Then everything that appeared in these papers was a consequence of intellectual rigour and research. The newspapers used to have literary critics, movie and books reviewers. They are no more.  We now have a sneaky army of gossip columnists who keep a keen watch on the private lives of these celebs.

It’s even hurting that sometimes these celebs’ private lives have nothing to look up to but their news clip could displace the profile of a budding neuroscientist in the papers. More startling, notoriety has become a brand.

Some musicians are more known for uttering profanity, picking up fights and snaking colleagues’ girlfriends or boyfriends than the actual work of singing!  To be a celeb is sometimes to be stupid. Those whose career is on the wane, or failed to take off, have resorted to all kinds of fame stoking tactics including barking (kubogola) instead of singing in full glare of cameras.

It is amazing how these celebs have manipulated media houses and advertisers in that the media has almost become a puppet whose strings are controlled by the celebs. The sizzling humour and pricking satire is slowly disappearing from the leisure pages of most newspapers and being replaced by sex scandals, fights and slurs between celebs.

The dawn of gossip columnists means the death of intellectual and curious readership, capable of thinking critically. Sadly, this reflects the readers’ taste!  Those papers that have tried to keep off the celeb beats, have been punished by the readers and advertisers.

No shareholder would like to see circulation figures plummeting and advertising volumes shrinking or migrating to the competitor. The advertisers would tell you: “I can’t advertise in your paper because it doesn’t have the kind of stuff the people who buy my products want to read!”

So some papers have had to swallow their pride and jump on the bandwagon in order to keep in the market. Try to see what the big people of this country read while stuck in the city’s irritating traffic jams.

You won’t catch them reading front pages, they would be busy devouring the gossip pages. I have been told they dash to these gossip columns to check whether they were netted in some dirty stuff.

I can’t understand for the life of me how the alleged separation of Bebe Cool and his wife Zuena could dominate the papers more than the stories of starving people in Teso. Gaetano Kaggwa who became famous for having sex on television during the Big Brother Africa session in 2004 got more press coverage and Presidential attention than Prof. Fredrick Kayanja who has won several science accolades from various academies.

When the President wanted to meet Gaetano he sent a chopper to airlift him to wherever he was. Of course this gesture alone attracted massive media blitz. Gaetano’s wedding pictures were plastered on front pages and others secured centre spread positions in various newspapers, more than the coverage of the outbreak of jiggers in Busoga.

Barbie (Bobi Wine’s wife) and Zuena would be accorded a quarter page photograph while shopping at Mr Price rather than a woman who has triumphed over breast cancer. The colour and type of Juliana Kanyomozi’s knickers that she wore during the PAM award is given more prominence in the papers than a road accident which kills 29 people.

The contest as to whether Bobi Wine’s Escalade is more expensive than Bebe Cool’s Range Rover (Bafudde) is highlighted more than the floods that swept away bridges in northern Uganda. When these celebs run out of entertaining stunts, they conjure up other novelties.

If it is not gun fights between rivals, another group would compose a song lampooning the other. They keep releasing a little more of it each day to keep us expecting. It’s no surprise that some of our children aren’t looking up to scientists or other achievers. 

It’s a fact that the children’s perception of celebs has been built by the media. Why have the newspapers surrendered to this cult of fame? Maybe we are all vain. Vanity has taken over our lives and appearances.

So what would happen if one day we decided to ignore these celebs and switched the menu to the less ostentatious people but who are lifetime achievers? We should not allow this dumping down that is dictating our perceptions.

The author is the Business Development Director, The Observer Media.

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perfect
written by stella , February 07, 2010

this is a very brilliant and well written article

Critical observation.
written by Bunyasi M , February 07, 2010

The celebrity world is taking over the world of politicians.

The local celebs have dominated different circles, for example, they have come up with titles and ranks which have scared off even people in high offices, like Genaral bla bla, Ghetto president and the like.

It's on record that the story of Lewinsky and Clinton's affair was given more media coverage than the Rwandan genocide!

The media is in ethical dilemma coupled with the massive censorship, we are bound to witness and hear endless frivolous stories of a celeb fighting each other, divorcing and so on.

Lines have to be drawn. which stories should take headlines?

Cannot figure out why the president visited Bebe Cool
written by Kaligonza Moses , February 07, 2010

Is it because Bebe Cool sang for him, congratulating him for his 2006
kisanja, or was he luring his father
back to NRM?

I wonder where the president was, when innocent people were shot during the 9/2009 riot? Some died and some were hospitalized.

Since the president is taking care of Bebe Cool's medical bills, I bet
you, another Kisanja song is already in the works.

That's Museveni for you.

The media's dagger builds & breaks
written by MABO , February 07, 2010

The media has the power to set the agenda wch in effect influences public perceptions & debates. Your assertions are valid. The differnce is tht as a columnist dvpt director,you know how journalists have turned to political & social advocates as opposed to practising true journalism. The good thing is tht many have tangibly benefited evidanced by their social ratings(middle class) in this era by driving posh cars,owning bangalows,fyling business class,globe trotting etc as opposet to their predisessors who looked miserable,emaciated,poor but had the zeal to practice journalism. Wht needs to be done is accept tht some media houses will flourish on sensationalism,let other practice true jouranlism in long term the readers will choose wht is right. For God & my country.

Of Vanity
written by Kalmoh , February 08, 2010

Pius, well written critique of our Celebs.However, they mirror our social values. Of late vanity cuts across all professions. We are using our positions to outdo our perceived rivals. This has manifested itself as intellectual dishonesty where the elite have to reinvent the wheel so they are seen to be the first among peers!

Intellectual.
written by Ian , February 08, 2010

Well Said!

Celebs getting media attension
written by Jerry Opolot , February 08, 2010

All you have written is certainly true i mean the local celebs getting all the media attention but i would argue that it's better than you journalist always plastering your papers with gossip about foreign celebs.But i believe everything comes down to the changing trends,i mean media houses are trying to keep up with the foreign counterparts who do the same thing.Foreign Paparazzi's spend sleepless nights just to get a shot of Beyonces belly in order to prove a point..i mean know whether she is pregnant or not,so i think a few photos of Barbie shopping or Bebe cools bufude wouldn't hurt.I know of people who would rather log on to UK's sun newspaper(thesun.co.uk) because it has all the gossip they need then buy a Ugandan newspaper.You talked of movie reviews,book reviews that used to exist yeah yeah but we read all this online now through blogs,forums and they are pretty much better than the local newspaper movie reviews which most times are just a copy and paste of some review from a certain blog.

Who controls the attention
written by ribeqah , February 08, 2010

A well written article Pius. Its got me wondering; do the "celebs get the journalist's attention or is it the journalists who give our "celebs" hyped attention

A tale the three wise monkeys
written by Dorothy , February 08, 2010

Why the hell should a Ugandan continue following political and economic news yet he knows that what he is about to read will only frustrate him?


That political news is no longer news. Its a confirmation that some one is holding on to state house like its his ancestral home. That some greedy person has swindled funds again.
Even good news of a stabilising economy will frustrate the majority who will be left wondering if at all they will be able to send their kids to school come the new term(if they got a meal before bedtime).

Much as journalists need media houses, it has also been proven(in Ug) that media houses do not need jurnalists.
The existence of an audience, advertisers, marketing personnel and anybody who can write and speak seems to be the minimum requirement to start "spreading news"

Some (or many)will agree with me that if the average Ugandan had an average level of satisfaction he would not give a hoot to this celebrity craze. Its because Ugandans' spirits are so low that they have now been caught up in the illusion the so called celebrities present courtesy of the media.


We will all agree with the writter that money plays a big role in this case. If the reader is interested in celebrity gossip then the media has no alternative than give them what they need to mentain advertisers' inflow and attract new ones.

There is nothing left to talk about in our beautiful country. Nothing left to write home about. No HOPE. Only illusion.

Those who have, will be added unto, and those who posses nothing even the little they have will be taken away from them. Ask Bebe Cool, he will smile to that.

By the way, the "help" offered to Moses Ssali, was it from the president's private account?

...
written by Jim Kamezza , February 08, 2010

Well , facts are been known for some time , these are effects of globalisation ,who attracts public attentions sales , as everyone nowdays fights for attention of money spending part of the society

m7 could exploit this misfortune to cover up his failures , if the presidential doctor is the one who treated m7's finger then he might be of little use , hhmmmmmm

Unfortunately True
written by Peter , February 08, 2010

Pius, Thanks for being analytical. It is very annoying the kind of attention the media gives these yet most of these so called celebs' values leave a lot to be desired.

Imagine someone calling themselves Uganja citizens?? Police is busy arresting marijuana smoking youths who are influenced by such rowdy celebs and yet lifts no finger on the influencers...Double standards Huhh.

The president whose wife preaches Abstinence is quick to applaud a misguided youth who has illicit sex on national TV...
Oh Uganda, May God uphold thee

dont know were we are heading
written by eddy , February 08, 2010

i used to read the papers to check out on politics, health, the economy, but what for now?
i mean, in Ug, one man dominates the politics, at one moment the court says one thing and then he orders a totally different thing,

take for example the natete saga were the court ruled for the eviction of people from the land, and he imprisoned the police men who carried it out. why then dont i enjoy the cerebrity news were new things come in every day.

ugandan politics, one region in kintu, come on guys lets enjoy our musicians since atleast for them, the kintu is open to all.

a man cmplains about his wife stealling un countable money from under his bed, but guys, musicians make their money genuinely.
lets all give it up to the ugandan musicians.

Kingdom Values!
written by Rev Amos Kasibante , February 08, 2010

If Ugandans have of late been rather suffocated as far as ethics go, being fed on a monotonous diet of debate on sex, here's an article that widens the parameters of ethical debate in our society:

the compassionate behaviour of our political leaders; how having sex on Big Brother, which would turn off most right-thinking persons turns one into a celeb, much sought after to raise political capital if not become a much sought out 'brand' or 'commodity' in the world of advertising of which the media forms a part.

Yes, so much compassion shown to Bebe Cool (M. Ssali). Okay, it is callous not to express sympathy for the star. But count on your hand: the IGP, the Police Spokesperson, the President, the VP (?)- all descending on Nsambya Hospital to see Bebe. We are here discussing the question of 'values' and sense of 'proportion'. These, too, are ethical issues.

Ah, and if I can take the liberty to talk what Christians called "Kingdom Values", they would be reminded, not only about the parable those-who-have-unto-them- more-will-be-added, but of Jesus' "preferential option" for the poor which often put him at loggerheads with the powerful in society.

munene
written by base , February 09, 2010

omwana munene munene

SUFFERING FROM IMPIRIALISM?
written by ntare , February 09, 2010

Pius am sorry to say this but, you still live in colonial era, where every thing was about the english, the french and the german. You are living out the facts here that people have successfully built a brand in Uganda and that brand appeals to all the people of all ages.

We nolonger need to review shake spears stuff but we need to read buz's ba idea. our local celebs are idos to so many young folks (read the articals of teens who write in the teenz pulout on sat) .

There are no first and hard rules about life and our economic development won't depend on how much we know about the foreign countries AND unralistic ideas but how much we can use the avialble skills and talents to enhance production of goods and services.

services include entatainment. if this artical was to be of value to this banana republic then questions about why people have the craze for foreign clubs could be the more relevant questions not why we can't ignore our our products claiming they are not relevant to the society.

if its entatainment we are good at then it's good that the sector is so developed(comparative advantage) the other funny thing about this artical is that it creates a feeling that its all about bebe cool saga and the coment given are quiet alarming.

Why M7 visited him in hospital? this sounds like more hatred because a man known by over half of the polulation in East Africa deserved the treatment. The problem with academician is that we tend to think the effort and number of years we put into books should supercide all other things in life we forget that what people like bebe cool camilleon and the rest went thruogh to get where they are now is not a walk in the park.

graduating from university with a first class is nolonger extra ordinary. but breaking away from the usual norms and procedure in the home ,performing for free, standing in the bus collidor from kenya to kampala and pursing what was refered to then as madness is really extra ordinary never mind that thse guys went to school as much if not more that some people.

Anyone commenting should first ask themselves how much taxes do i pay in complison to say bebe cool or camileon? it will suprise you that you proffession in a whole and your pay as you earn doesn't compare to what these guys pay as taxes for every event they organise.

We need better people to take our country forward not just less creative university graduate and PHD holder. we can't reinvent the car but we can exploit other avenue to ensure sustainable development

Relative
written by ntambi , February 09, 2010

Well, it is an intellectual approach but not practical. You see newspapers/media houses are businesses also.

The biggest market are not the big men stuck in traffic but the rather the ordinary men in kikuubo and owino, If you decide to take this road, the newspaper will becom unpopular among them and so will the sales go down. It is also important to note that in a country where most people spend 75% of their time in entertainment, you can do that.

Now the cheapest entertainment that is sustainable in Uganda is definately not R.Kelly, but our very own. therefore it is possible to have it more frequent.

So the idea of damping is good if it was a government profit that doesnt mind reducing sales

Don't worry Pius, it is just FAD dear
written by Rodney , February 09, 2010

During Amin's era, when the illiterates dominated the country social arena, one old fellow told me "Tofaayo mwana wange, obutamanya tebugeenda kusinga kumanya n'omulundi n'ogumu"

Literally meaning "however banana this country may go, ignorance will never surpus literacy, Values remains values" I also say the same to Pius: This is just a FAD which will soon disappear in thin air. Relax! Who cares about taxes brought in by exhibitionists/immorals who ruin our values?

Bravo Pius
written by Paul , February 09, 2010

Nothing more we can say Pius, the message has been well put and it's very clear....., let the readers shun the trash of celebs...

What's the fuss all about?
written by Kawanga , February 09, 2010

As the author said, for the life of me i cant understand what the fuss is all about.
Nobody has ever stopped you from writting boring but somehow interesting stories of life, science and economic development.

However you sad souls have to give our entertainment industry a break, it has only been here for if we go by the PAM Awards' years, Eight( years!
Before asking yourself how you could stop entertainers from eating, ask urself why are people so interested in the lives of these entertainers? Cos at the end of the day, there's two sides to a story

First of all in writting this column, you don't even cover any entertainment section of journalism, mr business development director! So of cos you wouldn't understand what the celeb craze is all about

Lastly in business terms, do your research and find out how much revenue is generated through the Ugandan entertainment industry today and how many people directly and indirectly earn a living from it and then come back with a better critique of the industry cos in this article you just sound bitter and jealous!
Enough said.

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