MIKE SSEGAWA: Is Next Media’s Kin Kariisa Complaining About His Own Recipe for Success?

Kin Kariisa, the visionary behind Next Media Group, built his media empire precisely by capitalizing on the opportunities created by Uganda’s digital TV migration. Yet, if reports are accurate that he has blamed—or even “cursed”—this very transition for shrinking his revenues and client numbers, then he is effectively complaining about the foundation of his own triumph.

Let’s rewind. Uganda’s shift from analogue to digital broadcasting, completed years ago in line with global deadlines, multiplied the number of available channels dramatically—spoiling viewers with choice via digital set-top boxes offering over 40 options. As Kariisa himself explained in a 2017 interview, this fragmentation posed a major challenge: how to make audiences “switch to NBS” amid the competition.

His response? Innovation on steroids. Next Media pioneered relentless live broadcasting, multi-studio setups, real-time current affairs, and aggressive digital integration—streaming events like the Papal visit and elections that others couldn’t match. “We had to be different… always be live,” Kariisa proudly noted. This tech-driven strategy turned NBS into Uganda’s dominant player, commanding up to 44% national viewership share in recent surveys, far ahead of rivals.

In essence, digital migration handed Kariisa the perfect disruption: a crowded market where slower traditional houses faltered, allowing his forward-leaning approach to capture massive audience and advertising shares. Without the fragmentation that forced differentiation, Next Media might not have revolutionized Ugandan broadcasting as it did—expanding to Sanyuka TV, Salam TV, Nile Post, and beyond.

Fast-forward to today: the digital era has matured, bringing new hurdles like further audience splintering toward social media, OTT platforms, and global streamers. Advertisers now chase fragmented viewers across mobiles and apps, evolving models that demand even more adaptation—AI tools, creator hubs, hybrid monetization.

If Kariisa is indeed lamenting digital migration’s impact on his “wallet size,” it’s ironic: he’s decrying the same change that supercharged his rise. The migration didn’t shrink the pie—it expanded it, and Kariisa grabbed the biggest slice through innovation. Current pressures stem not from the migration itself (long complete), but from the ongoing digital evolution it unleashed—the very landscape he mastered to build wealth and influence.

True innovators don’t curse the waves; they surf them better. Complaining about digital migration now is like a chef blaming the oven for a cake that’s risen too high, forcing him to bake smarter next time. Kariisa’s early success proves he knows how to adapt: launching creator initiatives, exploring influencer marketing, and pushing digital economies.

Uganda’s media needs leaders who embrace perpetual change, not those who retroactively grudge the disruptions that crowned them kings. If the heat from his own innovative fire is too much, perhaps reflection—not blame—is in order. After all, Kariisa isn’t a victim of digital migration; he’s one of its greatest beneficiaries.

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