Date of Award
2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Executive Masters in Media Leadership and Innovation (EMMLI)
First Supervisor/Advisor
Rose Kimani
Department
Graduate School of Media and Communications
Abstract
Television in Uganda continues to struggle to deal with changes in the industry, which has ultimately led to the closure or restructuring of many organizations. Many of those that remain are also struggling to survive in the market. For them to remain successful and viable, they need to constantly innovate to deal with these changes, as well as satisfy the needs of their audience. Innovation, however, is expensive in terms of time, finances and human resources. This study set out to examine the possibilities of using journalism schools in universities as innovation hubs for the television industry. The study was guided by the following study objectives: to examine the nature of the existing relationship between the universities and media houses; to assess the existing media innovation hub interventions in Uganda; to explore the potential of using universities as media innovation hubs; and to propose a framework for use of universities as media innovation hubs. Using key informant interviews and focus group discussions, the study collected data from television managers, journalism trainers, journalism students and innovation hub leaders in Uganda. The Systems Theory underpinned the study. This study found that there was a weak relationship between the television stations and the journalism schools in Uganda, with the predominant activity being the provision of internships to journalism students by the television stations. The study also discovered that there are some innovations for television by the television stations themselves, the independent innovation hubs and the journalism students. These however are isolated, and not necessarily improving the television industry as a whole. The study also finds that there is great potential in using journalism schools as innovation hubs for the television industry, and recommends that partnerships should be developed between the television stations and journalism schools to make this work. The study concludes that innovation for television is important, and should be supported by the different stakeholders to develop a mechanism for innovation hubs in journalism school.
Recommended Citation
Baptist, I. J. (2024). Universities as innovation hubs for television stations in Uganda. (Unpublished master's dissertation). Aga Khan University, East Africa.