Urban TV to return on air after review

Urban TV, Vision Group's youth-centric channel, might make a comeback soon
The decision is pending internal strategic discussions and resource mobilisation
The suspension of Urban TV was a tactical move to reassess its viability, not a permanent closure

Vision Group’s youth-centric channel, Urban TV, might soon make a comeback, according to Don Wanyama, the group’s Chief Executive Officer.

Speaking before the Committee of Commissions, Statutory Authorities & State Enterprises (COSASE) last week, Wanyama hinted at the possibility of the station's revival, pending the resolution of internal strategic discussions and resource mobilisation.

“We believe that when we have gotten the right answers to the questions we raised internally about the state of the TV, and if we have been able to muscle the necessary resources, we shall have a channel up and running,” Wanyama stated.

He clarified that the suspension of Urban TV's operations was a tactical move to reassess its viability and performance, not a permanent closure.

Urban TV ceased operations in March 2024 after a thirteen-year run, a decision driven by financial instability.

Wanyama defended the closure, noting that the station had stopped making business sense and was financially draining the media conglomerate.

Read: Anna Talia Oze recalls being fired from Urban TV by DJ Bush Baby

Urban TV went off air in March pulse uganda

“We were in a situation where it was becoming a bit untenable to continue running the channel, given the cost, vis-a-vis what was coming in. Internally, there were challenges, can we run a strictly youth TV, and you remain viable, or do you change how you position it?” he explained.

Also read: Mugume recounts job-hunting ordeal: 'I was tossed by TVs over my looks'

Cash strapped Urban TV closed early this year

The station's shutdown was swift, with its DStv slot quickly taken over by other Vision Group channels.

Despite efforts to revitalise Urban TV’s programming, such as introducing the “Celebrity Edition” news program featuring celebrity anchors, the channel struggled to achieve commercial viability.

Urban TV's financial challenges were longstanding, with revenue dwindling since 2016 and multiple rounds of staff layoffs. The escalating costs associated with content creation further compounded the channel’s woes, leading to its eventual suspension.

Wanyama was addressing concerns raised by Nathan Itungo, MP for Kashari South, who questioned why Vision Group could not sustain Urban TV while smaller entities, such as church-run stations, continue to operate.