Jamila Kariisa, the eldest daughter of media mogul Kin Kariisa, is at the heart of a new revolution at Next Media, aimed at winning the hearts and eyes of younger and hip viewers, popularly known as Generation Z (Gen Z).
Researchers say Generation Z includes people born between 1995 and 2010.
Jamila, who clocked 18 years in November 2023, is the brain behind Kulture Konnect, which the media group describes as “a digital news bulletin tailored for the digital-savvy generation.”
According to a communication from Next Media, “Kulture Konnect is designed to deliver concise and relevant news updates directly to your smartphone, making staying informed easier and more accessible than ever.”
The first bulletin will air on Monday April 15 at 8.00 PM and will last 10 minutes.
The group says the bulletin will be segmented into quick updates and will have an interactive Segment that will have Vox Pops and social media trends.
All employees of Next Media were instructed on Friday (April 12) to push the “new bulletin” on their social media platforms (particularly X) when it airs on Monday.
“We want it to be the most trending topic on X,” said a mid level manager.
Next Media, like other media organizations in Uganda, has struggled to find ways of winning and retaining loyalty of young viewers who find the linear programming of local TV stations boring.
In fact, studies have shown that many young people between the ages of 15 to 30 no longer watch traditional TV and are instead hooked on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Over the years the group has tried come up with programming strategies to nail this group without success.
Jamila Kariisa and a group of friends believe they have answers to this conundrum.
For years, sources told us that Jamila, a Gen Z herself, has been pressuring her father to allow her come up with something edgy and catchy that can tilt the Gen Z towards NBS TV.
Raised in a relatively wealthy family and educated at some of the best international schools in Uganda and abroad, Jamila believed she has the know-how and exposure to make this whole thing work.
“She has been working behind the scenes but many of the concepts of Kulture Konnect are her ideas,” said a well-placed source at Naguru.
Those who have worked with her say she is reserved and largely keeps to herself. However, they say she can be “pushy” when she wants to get things done.
