AudiencScapes

By Joseph Were

17 March 2010

Kampala, Uganda –The influence of new media in Uganda is showing up in high profile, as people and organizations tap these technologies as organizing and information-sharing tools. However, the reach of new media remains largely among affluent urbanites.

New media’s impact

New media enthusiasts in Uganda scored a major achievement on 12 December 2009 when members of one Facebook network sent out word on the social networking site and on Twitter about an event, which succeeded in attracting a sizable crowd. Members of the 360° Network organized the “Old skool Re-union” at the main Rugby Grounds of the capital city. Attendees played childhood games such as rope skipping and dodge ball, and the crowd included top names in the country’s entertainment industry.

The organizers said their aim was to promote interaction and networking among members in order to exchange ideas, knowledge and to discover new business opportunities, as well as have fun. It was the second time that the group had used this organizing method. Their first was for a cocktail party two months earlier that attracted 700 attendees at a high end city bar. A renowned business management consultant gave a motivational speech there about personal finance and entrepreneurship.

One of the big stories of 2009 in Uganda was the September riots sparked by the government’s decision to block the traditional ruler of Buganda from visiting an area in his kingdom claimed by another newly-anointed king. Events erupted by the minute, but radio and TV were not providing information about it. The only way to get the news was to tune in to new media.

One of Uganda’s top bloggers, Tumwijuke Mutambuka of Uganda Insomniac  captured the trend in her September 11, 2009 posting. It read: “If ever you needed proof that the broadcast media in Uganda is out of touch with reality, go on; turn on your radio. Teargas canisters are still flying over the city, traders are overwhelmed with the loss, taxis are charging exorbitant prices for trips into the city, woman killed in Kyengera early this morning, fighting in Kasubi and Nateete, Masaka Road blocked off, CBS Radio is still off air …What do the TVs do? Broadcast CNN, Al Jazeera, BBC and France-24. A boring sermon by a televangelist on whether or not to spank your children. A ridiculously long news piece on why the Electoral Commission chose UBC as the most appropriate media house to partner with in civic education. Only after 10:30 does WBS TV start its ‘live’ reports… Any news I am receiving on the situation in Kampala I am getting from Twitter, Facebook and blogs”. Filled with such enthusiasm, the members of facebook’s 360° Network say their fete will be annual.

Such events underline the growing influence of new media, particularly in the 15 to 35 age group. Still, new media remains largely a tool of working urban elites. Only about 8 percent of Ugandans are internet users, according to the International Telecommunications Union, and access remains relatively costly in a country where over 45 percent of the population live on less than US$2 per day and about 30 percent of those aged 15 years and above cannot read or write. [1] (For more on Uganda's urban-rural and regional divides see our Regional Demographic Tab)

New fiber-optic cables reaching East Africa hold the promise of bring down internet costs and improving performance, but so far the necessary land infrastructure is lacking to benefit from it. The internet remains mostly an urban phenomenon, led by those within universities, colleges and workplaces. Limited access to the internet and computer-driven gadgets inhibits the growth of social networking and other online activities, including video- and music-sharing and online games. (For more on the status internet communications see our Uganda country overview) 

Bridging the digital divide?

Uganda’s telecom companies are trying to bridge the digital divide through wider and cheaper distribution of internet access points. When Uganda Telecom launched its new hotspots at restaurants, hotels and cafes, it distributed them across the country rather than restricted them to large urban centers. It also created Jazz Surf Spots, a service tailored to students at the top university campuses, with the objective of increasing internet use and knowledge among youth.

The hotspot users use an SMS-based payment mode-they send an SMS for the surf time required and instantly receive a pin number they use to surf. Costs vary from Shs 2000 (approx. US$1) for one hour and Shs 6000 for 6 hours.

However, it will take a lot more than this to close the digital gap. Telecom companies are much further along in offering special mobile phone packages for youth (with features such as cheap SMS and calls, games, a chat zone and music downloads) than they are in offering cheap computer-based internet offers.

That said, the rise of mobile web applications may allow a certain amount of leapfrogging in terms of making applications available to youth and the population as whole. On a visit to train Ugandan program developers in late 2008, Facebook senior engineer Charlie Cheever noted: “The new wave of communication platforms (Skype, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) are software-based, and it's actually easier and cheaper to distribute the same software to everyone in the world, whereas with things requiring physical infrastructure, that isn't true.” [2]

[1] "ITU ICT Eye: 2008". International Telecommunications Union. Geneva, Switzerland. http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/icteye/Reporting/ShowReportFrame.aspx?ReportName=/WTI/InformationTechnologyPublic&ReportFormat=HTML4.0&RP_intYear=2008&RP_intLanguageID=1&RP_bitLiveData=False

[2] Gosier, Jonathan. "Facebook Developers Garage: Uganda". Readwriteweb.com. December 2008. http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/facebook_developers_garage_uga.php