Kampala — THESE days, you only have to blink to miss something new on the Ugandan TV scene. So rapid are the changes, that many viewers are still trying to catch their breath. No TV station's debut has evoked as much excitement as the impressively-located NTV that began testing its signal in December last year with a promise of programming to keep Ugandan TV fans up all night. At least on the nights when there is electricity. Not since WBS TV came on the scene.

So far what the Serena Hotel-housed NTV has put out confirms that the excitement is well-founded. With family oriented comedies like My Wife & Kids at 8:00pm Thursday and riveting series like Smallville at 8:00pm on Mondays that are tapping into the series fever currently raging in Uganda, NTV is promising to live up the hype.

That hype though will mean nothing if NTV fails to rush in local programmes. A chunk of its promise that includes Profiles supposed to run on Friday, interviewing Ugandan high-fliers, and Rendezvous, on Thursday, supposed to feature interviews with Ugandan music heavyweights.

A TV company that has already been tested and not found wanting has got to be the revamped UBC-TV.

UBC-TV's most-watched show must be their new soap opera Cuando Seas Mia (When You Were Mine) where each week poor Elena and rich Diego try to cross classes for love.

Closely following should be, but is not, the inappropriately named Kool Entertainment on Saturday at 7:30pm, hosted by Sanyu FM deejay Melanie Kaita. In this show the host, with the conniving of the boyfriend, surprises a lucky girl with a makeover shopping spree in a boutique in Kampala before all is revealed. Yes, makeover shows have come to Kampala!

An indication of the leaps and bounds the Ugandan fashion industry has enjoyed lately can best be viewed on the revamped UBC-TV line-up. With Style with Keturah on Tuesday at 8:35pm with repeats on Wednesday 12:30pm, UBC is spearheading bringing Ugandans' growing interest in all things to do with fashion to the screen, from dressing well to knowing where to go for the best material for making clothes to the etiquette that goes with going out all dressed up. Hosted by renowned New Vision columnist Keturah Kamugasa, the studio produced show is attracting more than its fair share of viewers keen on such matters.

Meanwhile, Kamwokya-based Record TV has one of the most unique formats when it comes to one of its premier music programmes, Music Plus, presented by Herbie K (the K being short for Kyewalyanga) and Diana Liz Tushemerirwe. The Sunday show that runs from 7:00-8:30pm with repeats on Thursday 11:00pm-12:30am plays strictly western music while interviewing local artistes in between the music videos. A strange state of affairs that does not seem headed to change any time soon.

The music played ranges from R&B, to Country to Hip Hop, with the two presenters, while not totally in sync, at least able to carry the show. Herbie is the more bubbly of the two and the final-year journalism student Diana is still playing catch up as this is her very first time on TV in the co-host role. Modest Diana will go so far as to admit that, "I'm still improving. I'm learning something new every time."

This is certainly not the case when it comes to their 30-minute Monday to Friday Sports News programme that begins at 6:30pm and is anchored by John Baptiste Imokola. The former UTV intern is fully commanding on the screen and does not let the value of the show be lessened by the comical situation that the programme has only one permanent field reporter to cover all sports, from football (most covered), to athletics, cricket, volleyball, swimming, kickboxing (surprisingly) and very rarely rugby.

More of a straight news programme than an analytical one, what Sports News really lacks are interviews with the news makers in a sphere of activity that many Ugandans are beginning to pick interest in because of the positive changes happening therein.

The winning show on Record TV when it comes to interest though must be their local adventure programme Pearl Adventures presented by Sandra Kahunde.

Why no one had ever thought of dedicating a show solely to investigating the many natural wonders everyone agrees Uganda possesses is beyond comprehension. That said, Pearl Adventures could do more than visit the obvious tourist attractions that are the source of the Nile and Bahai Temple.

Pearl Adventures really could be the eye-opener on how many exciting attractions Uganda possesses and one hopes that as the presenter settles into her groove, she'll begin to be truly adventurous. On the whole though, the Ugandan TV scene is trying to be just that.