New CEO takes charge as Apex Media Services enters Block Media era

A new chapter has opened for Uganda’s emerging youth-led media business after Aloysious Ssekanjako took over as Chief Executive Officer as the company formerly known as Apex Media Services adopted the name Block Media Services Ltd.

Ssekanjako assumed the position after being appointed by the company’s board of directors. He is also the majority shareholder, but says ownership alone did not determine his appointment.

“Being the majority shareholder didn’t make me become a leading person. It is the board of directors that chose me, and they can remove me and appoint someone else,” Ssekanjako said.

The company is now operating as a private limited company by shares registered in Uganda, with Joan Vumilia continuing as company secretary.

The restructuring also marks the departure of Nyanzi Martin Luther from the CEO’s office.

Nyanzi said he is returning to school to concentrate on his academic work, while leaving the company under a new management team.

“I am returning back to school for my academic work. The company is now fully set to run with the new team,” he said.

A shift from founder-led operations

The change comes as the company moves from its previous contributor-based model towards a more formal corporate structure.

Ssekanjako said the organisation now has about 60 staff members and is recruiting more presenters as it expands.

He said the new management wants to build the brand, reach more audiences and develop products that attract customers and viewers.

“What will be different is having new ideas that develop us,” Ssekanjako said.

He added: “As in governance, when you lead for more years, there are new ideas blocked when trying to solve the old ones.”

The comments point to a deliberate effort to introduce a different management approach following Nyanzi’s period at the helm.

Block FM to get new direction

Block FM will remain the company’s flagship media product, but the station is set for a programming shift.

According to Ssekanjako, the station has previously been largely musical, but the new management intends to broaden its programming to include political, entertainment and other shows.

The move is expected to reposition the station as the company develops additional media products.

African expansion

The new management is also looking beyond Uganda.

Ssekanjako said Tanzania is the company’s first planned foreign market, where it hopes to establish a newspaper designed to operate independently of the state.

He said the company chose Tanzania as an expansion target partly because of the competitive nature of Kenya’s media industry.

The proposed expansion will be financed by the company’s directors and shareholders.

Management is also planning a new headquarters and increased broadcasting capacity.

New brands in the pipeline

Ssekanjako said the company is reviewing plans to establish more brands under Block Media Services Ltd.

Among the longer-term plans are additional radio and television products, while the company is also considering charity organisations.

The management has not yet disclosed the names or launch dates of the proposed brands.

Apex Digital Skills moves toward separate registration

The company’s youth-development work is also expected to continue.

The Apex Digital Skills Initiative currently operates under the Block Media Services Ltd structure, but Ssekanjako said the initiative is expected to seek a separate licence from the NGO Bureau.

He said the initiative could subsequently work with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to support youth programmes.

What the new structure means

Ssekanjako said restructuring the company as a private limited company by shares provides greater protection for both the company and its shareholders.

He said the structure separates personal liabilities from those of the company and provides a clearer framework for ownership.

He also said shareholders cannot simply transfer their shares without the company’s knowledge under the new arrangement.

The company’s directors and staff will participate in meetings to discuss decisions and ways of improving its services, according to Ssekanjako.

A bigger ambition

The immediate restructuring is only the beginning of Ssekanjako’s stated plans.

He wants Block Media Services Ltd to eventually become one of the major companies in Africa, with new brands operating under the corporate group.

For Nyanzi, the focus now shifts back to education.

For Ssekanjako, the challenge is to demonstrate that the new management can turn the company’s growing workforce, expanded programming and regional ambitions into a sustainable business.

The transformation from Apex Media Services to Block Media Services Ltd therefore represents more than a new name. It is a test of whether a young media venture can evolve into a larger corporate group capable of operating beyond its founder and beyond Uganda.