The Challenges faced by Media Organisations in Migrating from Analogue Transmission to Digital Transmission in Uganda: A Case Study Of WBS TV

Abstract

Uganda committed to switching off its analogue signals by 2015 in line with the international deadline. Not much has been achieved in that regard. Subsequent efforts to phase out the analogue broadcasting systems and replace them with the much preferred digital broadcast systems in line with recommendations from International Telecommunication Union have not achieved much success. This study proposed to establish the challenges faced by media organisations in migrating from analogue to digital transmission taking WBS television as a case study. In establishing the challenges faced in the process of digital migration, three research questions guided the process. They included • What challenges do media organisations face in migrating to digital transmission? • To what extent are the policies on digital migration conducive to enabling the process to take place? • What must media organisations put in place to meet the national deadline? Different research techniques were applied in the study like respondent interviews of which 46 respondents were captured. The focus group discussion technique that targeted heads of departments, key informant interviews targeted the general manager of WBS, and two other senior officials from Uganda Communications Commission and the Ministry of Information Communications Technology. The document analysis technique was used along side critical policy analysis in interpreting the digital migration policy of 2011. This study documented numerous challenges that originated within WBS television and within the recently passed digital migration policy. Amidst the challenges, WBS television has partly switched to the digital network although the process is incomplete. The delays are attributed to government intransigence and low information awareness in the public. Finally the study makes recommendations linked to the digital migration policy with regards to a smooth transmission to the digital network before 2015.