In a shocking exposé that has sent ripples through the media fraternity, young journalist Canary Mugume reportedly pulls in more than some of his seasoned colleagues at NBS TV. Leaked figures of salaries sent shockwaves across fans and industry insiders, further stoking debate over salary structures and the value assigned to experience versus fresh talent.
A leak by a former employee, Ninye Tabz, reveals that Mugume’s monthly salary is UGX 6,310,000. This stunning figure far outpaces that of all veteran journalists at NBS TV. One of the most experienced and influential people in Uganda’s journalism, Samson Kasumba, pulls UGX 4,695,383, while Simon Kaggwa Njala, also an experienced journalist, makes UGX 1,787,691. The sharp contrast between the wage of Mugume and that of his seniors attracts a lot of attention and becomes a hot topic.
There is a storm of reactions as many people seek to understand the criteria used in setting salaries at the Naguru-based TV station. Mugume, famous for biting reporting and huge screen charisma, seems to have pulled out a compensation package far above that of his seniors, which provoked public outcry over the apparent salary gap, with fans and industry companions expressing shock and concern.
Those figures, when leaked, not only exposed internal salary discrepancies at the companies but also sparked wider concerns regarding fairness and transparency in a media house. There have been questions over what yardstick media houses use to determine their salary scale and if experience should count more than marketability or new talent.
As the consequences of that revelation remain debated, with NBS TV and the broader media industry grappling with the fallout, much will be said about how experience and fresh talent should have a fair value. The case puts a big question mark on whether there is a real need for a transparent and fair system of determining salaries in the media sector.
