The findings are based on data collected from 146 districts across Uganda as part of the survey, which is set to be officially launched in the coming days.
The Uganda National Media Survey examined media consumption trends across radio, television, print and digital platforms.
According to Dr. Joel Isabirye, the Principal Investigator of the survey, the study seeks to provide insights into how Ugandans consume different forms of media, with the findings expected to support academic research, advertising decisions, policy-making and policy evaluation.
“The survey provides a comprehensive picture of Uganda’s changing media landscape, particularly as digital platforms continue to reshape how audiences access information, entertainment and news. Understanding these shifts is important for media practitioners, advertisers, researchers and policymakers,” Isabirye said.
The inclusion of digital media trends in the survey reflects the growing influence of digital platforms in Uganda’s media landscape. According to the Uganda Communications Commission, the country has 47.5 million mobile phone connections, while 20.3 million smartphones are actively in use. Uganda also has an estimated 11.4 million WhatsApp users, 11.3 million TikTok users and at least 7.2 million YouTube users.
“TikTok, in particular, turns out to be the most popular platform, with vast amounts of user-generated content. Within that space, new personalities keep emerging by the day, making it necessary for their profiles and influence to be tracked,” Isabirye said.