The Executive Director Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) George William Nyombi Thembo has warned media operators to respect his directive that stopped the playing of unauthorized adverts for concerts, plays or any public entertainment.

In a meeting with Television managers at the UCC head offices at Bugolobi, Kampala to discuss the results of a study on the Ex-Post Regulatory Impact Assessment for the 2017 TV License framework, Thembo said he doesn’t want to injure this section of the private sector that contributes revenue, provides jobs and a service of informing, educating and entertainment.

He says the industry has been circulated with a lot of people who among others are reckless and irresponsible about what they put for public consumption without minding about the cultural norms and values.

He pointed out entertainers who have reached the extent of portraying nudity on stage in the show of bringing reality in their compositions which Thembo criticizes and promising never to allow such under his regime as the Executive Director of UCC.

He says they are bringing on board District Police Commanders who clear concerts and Sponsors especially Telecommunication companies to always seek for the clearance permit from UCC from any promoter before he is supported or cleared.

On the study yet to be completed, a lot has been identified within the TV industry as being enabled to become economically viable due to high taxes, hard economy, high charges by the signal carries or the digital pay TVs, expensive audience survey teams on top of heavy infrastructure investment that government needs to look into if the industry is to benefit the country.

According to the study conducted by Prof. Faisal Buyinza from Makerere University, the country has 64 licensed TV stations, 80% of them concentrated in the Central region, of which 70% are in Kampala with the whole of the west Nile region going without any TV station.

By Francis Jjunju

12 February 2025

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