The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has challenged online content creators in the Acholi Sub-region to use their culture, language, identity and personal stories as powerful tools for building successful creative careers.
The call was made during a Sensitization, Awareness and Empowerment Workshop organised by UCC for online content creators from the Acholi Sub-region at Boma Hotel in Gulu. The engagement is aimed at helping creators better understand the opportunities and responsibilities that come with operating in Uganda’s growing digital space.
Opening the workshop, UCC Director of Corporate Affairs Fred Otunnu, who represented the Executive Director, encouraged creators to take their work seriously and treat content creation as a business rather than simply a hobby or source of entertainment.
Otunnu urged creators to develop a clear and recognisable identity that can help them stand out in the crowded online space. He also encouraged them to protect their creative work, understand the rules of the platforms they use and explore lawful ways of earning money from their content.
He noted that getting a video or post to go viral can bring a creator many followers and attract public attention, but warned that popularity alone is not enough to build a lasting career. According to him, professionalism, consistency and responsible content creation are what can turn an online audience into a sustainable source of income.
The workshop is also giving creators practical knowledge on content development, branding and monetisation, while helping them understand communications regulations, content standards, online safety and ethical responsibilities.
UCC said the engagement is part of its efforts to promote responsible and sustainable content creation as more Ugandans turn to social media and other digital platforms to share information, tell stories and build businesses.
The Commission is also using the workshop to create an opportunity for direct dialogue with content creators, allowing them to raise concerns, ask questions and better understand their rights and obligations when creating and publishing content online.
For creators in Acholi, the message is clear: their local culture, language and stories can be more than just sources of entertainment. When properly packaged, protected and professionally presented, they can become valuable creative assets capable of reaching audiences in Uganda and beyond.
The engagement therefore seeks to encourage a new generation of creators to combine creativity with responsibility, professionalism and business skills so that the growing digital economy can provide them with sustainable opportunities.
