TAKEAWAYS

• Zahara Totto says salary cuts at Spark TV influenced her exit.
• She and Anna Talia Oze later joined Next Media’s Sanyuka TV.
• Totto says the move was about better pay, recognition and responsibility.

Media personality Zahara Totto has opened up about why she and fellow presenter Anna Talia Oze left Spark TV, saying the decision was driven largely by salary cuts at the Nation Media Group-owned station.

Totto and Oze were once the faces of Spark TV’s entertainment show Live Wire, where they built a strong following with their celebrity gossip and on-air chemistry. But the duo later exited the station and crossed to Next Media’s Sanyuka TV, where they went on to host the popular show Uncut Kalakata.

Speaking about the move, Totto said their exit was not abrupt or impulsive. She explained that Spark TV was going through financial challenges at the time, and staff salaries were affected.

“We did not just wake up and leave Spark TV. Salaries had been cut, and as someone with responsibilities, I had to make a decision that made sense for my life.”

According to Totto, the opportunity from Next Media came at a time when she felt her work and value were being recognised elsewhere.

“When another employer sees your worth and offers you something better, you cannot ignore that, especially when you have people depending on you.”

Her remarks revive memories of a period when Next Media attracted several media personalities from rival stations, especially from Nation Media Group Uganda. At the time, the shift of presenters between stations highlighted the intense competition for talent in Uganda’s entertainment media space.

However, for Totto, the move was ultimately about survival, growth and choosing a workplace that matched both her value and her responsibilities.