The New Vision Printing & Publishing Company Limited, widely known as Vision Group, was launched in 1986, shortly after the National Resistance Movement (NRM) assumed power in Uganda. It initially filled the vacuum left by defunct state-run publications such as Voice of Uganda and Uganda Times. What began as a single English-language daily, The New Vision, has since evolved into a diversified multimedia conglomerate, encompassing newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and television channels across Uganda.
Media assets
Television: Bukkede TV, West TV, Urban Television
Radio: Radio Bukedde, XFM, Radio West, Radio Rupiny, Etop Radio, Arua One
Publishing The New Vision, Saturday Vision, Sunday Vision, The Kampala Sun, Bukedde, Akadirisa, Orumuri, Rupiny, Etop
State Media Matrix Typology
Captured Public/State-Managed (CaPu)
Ownership and governance
Vision Group is a publicly listed company with a majority stake (over 53%) held by the Government of Uganda. The remaining shares are traded on the Uganda Securities Exchange and owned by institutional and individual investors.
Established under a 1987 Act of Parliament, the company is overseen by a Board of Directors, with a Managing Director (MD) at the helm of operations. The MD is appointed for a three-year renewable term by the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, and is tasked with ensuring the financial sustainability and strategic direction of the company.
Editorial oversight is entrusted to an Editor-in-Chief, appointed by the minister on the recommendation of the Board. This structure allows for state influence over key appointments, though editorial policies seek to maintain a level of independence.
As of June 2025, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director of Vision Group is Don Wanyama. He has led Vision Group since May 2021, holding the dual title of CEO & Managing Director. With a background as a teacher, journalist, and communications specialist, he previously served as Senior Presidential Press Secretary.
Source of funding and budget
Vision Group is primarily funded through commercial revenue, with income streams from advertising, circulation sales, printing services, and various media production ventures.
For the financial year ending June 2021, total revenue stood at UGX 81.9 billion (approx. US$ 23 million). In FY 2022/23, revenue dropped to UGX 87.6 billion (US$ 23.2 million)—a significant decline from the UGX 111 billion (US$ 29 million) reported two years prior. The company reported a net loss of UGX 3.7 billion (US$ 1 million) for the year ending June 2023—the second loss in three years. In its half-year financials to December 2023, Vision Group flagged continued losses, attributing them to harsh market conditions and reduced advertising revenue.
On 26 March 2025, Vision Group disclosed a significant net loss for the 2024 fiscal year. Revenue fell by 8.3%, sliding from UGX 87.6 bn to UGX 80.3 bn. Gross profit dropped from UGX 17.0 bn to UGX 7.6 bn. Operating loss widened to UGX 12.4 bn, influenced by rising raw-material and operational costs.
Despite its commercial orientation, the group has remained financially precarious, with performance increasingly challenged by digital disruption and economic headwinds.
Editorial independence
At its founding, The New Vision was granted editorial autonomy despite its alignment with the ideals of the ruling NRM. The founding editorial guidelines allowed for both constructive criticism and government accountability, setting a tone of cautious independence.
Today, however, Vision Group’s outlets are often criticized for editorial bias—particularly during election seasons, when favorable coverage of President Yoweri Museveni and ruling party narratives tends to dominate. Nonetheless, the organization maintains a reputation for occasionally pushing back against political pressure, covering a wide range of topics and, at times, drawing the ire of state authorities. Assaults on its journalists underscore the challenges of operating with integrity in a constrained media environment.
Despite having an Editorial Policy document designed to uphold professional standards and safeguard editorial independence, these guidelines are not always followed in practice—particularly on politically sensitive issues. According to recent research, journalists often self-censor or avoid high-risk topics due to internal and external pressures.
Oversight of editorial quality is the responsibility of the Editorial and Digital Committee, one of five internal committees within Vision Group. Its mandate is to monitor editorial performance, provide guidance, and recommend improvements to the board—though its impact remains limited without full structural independence.
June 2025