Former NBS Frontline moderator, Charles Odongtho is joining Uganda Broadcasting Corporation –UBC TV very soon.
Highly credible sources in the corridors of the National Broadcaster have intimated to us that reports of Odongtho joining the station are true and that he will soon be unveiled.
Sources also confirmed that Odongtho has been frequenting the Nile Avenue-based offices of late, severally seen in company of UBC’s Marketing Manager William Odoch, which perhaps may confirm that he could have already put ink on paper.
Odongtho’s name is almost synonymous with NBS’s popular talkshow –NBS Frontline, a current affairs program in which he used to host DP’s president Nobert Mao, NRM government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo and Hon. Miria Matembe.
Reports confirmed that Odongtho is set to host a similar program on UBC airing every Wednesday evening together with about 3 regular panelists.
Odongtho has been out of the public arena for a while since March when he resigned from the Kamwokya-based “political command center” news that hit the shows’ viewers like a thunderbolt.
Since then, information from the “Political command centre” indicate that the gap left behind following Charles’ departure, is still hollow in the minds of the management and viewers alike, up to today.
Although his replacement –Simon Kaggwa Njala has tried to jiggle to fill into Charles’ shoes, viewers can testify that the show still misses the “gentle giant.”
Since then, Odongtho retreated back to Wizarts Foundation, a media production organization based in Ntinda where he is a trainer alongside other roles.
When we reached him for a comment, Odongtho said he has many offers from several media organizations wanting to employ him including UBC and NBS his former employers, but said he would prefer settling for a while with his young family at least for now.
He said he is yet to decide which offer to take, but expressed optimism that an offer from UBC is one of those he can consider taking when that time comes, owing to its huge broadcast network coverage and with the best signal in the country.
“It has the best signal, more stable and a huge coverage. I wouldn’t be surprised to be taking an offer from UBC” Odongtho said.
He said his potential to build massive talkshows from a scratch is undisputed having made a mark at NTV’s Newsnight, and NBS Frontline, a show he says is his brainchild.
Odongtho however disputed reports that he will be moving with the Frontline gang of Norbert Mao and Ofwono Opondo to UBC considering the discontent as evidenced in submissions from both ever since Kaggwa Njala took over as moderator, with Opondo sometimes openly belittling Njala as inadequately informed on topics at hand.
“I am proud I started it (NBS Frontline) and it grew into a mountain. I would love to see it continue so that I keep watching them from there.” He said before noting that Ofwono Opondo and Nobert Mao are the ones that make NBS Frontline what it is.
He also said he would love to work again with the duo.
Efforts to reach UBC’s Deputy Managing Director Maurice Mugisha were futile as our calls remain unanswered
With a vast experience as exhibited in one of the most popular political talk shows in Uganda, UBC is set to put up a huge challenge to big TV stations and give his former bosses a run for their money with Odongho moderating a talkshow.
Thank God it will be airing on Wednesday! It would be worse if Odongtho was to be on air at the same time NBS Frontline is airing.
