A presenter outlines the current media landscape in South Sudan during the Media Leadership Forum in Juba on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. Stakeholders gathered on Wednesday to discuss strategies for sustaining independent media amid economic and political challenges. Photo: AMDISS

The Media Leadership Forum on Wednesday emphasized that the media requires sufficient resources to provide comprehensive coverage of the upcoming general elections.

During his opening remarks at the Media Leadership Forum on Wednesday, April 15, the Chairperson of the Association of Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS), Chris Marol highlighted major challenges facing the media sector, including high operational costs and burdensome frequency and regulatory fees.

He also called on the government and security agencies to ensure the safety of journalists and grant them unhindered access to perform their duties effectively.

The forum was held under the theme: “Sustaining independent media in times of political and economic difficulties.”

“It is a critical time for the media to ensure they have the resources they need to be able to do their jobs. As an advocacy organization, we also advocate to ensure that journalists are free to report,” said Chris.

“They should be protected because it is the responsibility of the government and the security forces to ensure journalists are protected and allowed to do their work without any hindrance.”

“When journalists are free, they can report correctly and ensure the information they share is balanced. Currently, the media faces many challenges and difficulties; yet, the media has a critical role in ensuring that people at the grassroots and local levels have access to information and can speak and be heard.”

For her part, Joyce Maker, a media rights advocate at Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) in Juba, stated that ongoing financial difficulties threaten the sustainability of independent media and the civic space. According to Maker, these elements are essential for fostering inclusive and democratic processes within the country.

“High operational costs, including frequency and regulatory fees—which is part of the main agenda for this forum today—as well as limited access to advertising markets and security concerns for journalists, are some of the things that threaten the sustainability of independent media and the civic space,” Joyce said.

“This space is necessary for the inclusive, democratic processes that we require as a country. We believe that when we have strong media institutions, we can strengthen transparency, citizen engagement, and hold relevant government institutions accountable.”

The one-day event provided an opportunity for South Sudan’s media fraternity and stakeholders to improve their capacity to address the challenges faced by media outlets.

The forum also focused on the upcoming December 2026 general elections, aiming to equip journalists with the necessary tools and resources to report accurately, fairly, and impartially.