Authority effects free to air Programming Code

Last Updated 10 years ago by Kenya Engineer

Dr. Hannightone Gaya, Chairman of the Media Owners Association has challenged stakeholders and officials in the media industry to avail quality local content focusing on what drives audience interests and what they like to watch.

Dr. Gaya was speaking during the official launch of Econet Media channel known as Kwesé Free Sports. Kwesé Free Sports is a sports channel focusing on local and international sports content for the game lovers. The channel will be available on the free to air top boxes (STB) or digital TV with a built-in set top box.

Econet Media is a subsidiary company of the globally networked Econet Group. It will offer a number of premium sporting codes including the Premier League, the National Basketball Association (NBA), Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) and the National Football League among others.

Additionally, Dr. Gayo welcomed other investors into the media industry to develop content by Kenyans for Kenyan consumption. This he states will offer big opportunities for the youth especially in job creation and building as well as promoting the Kenyan brand.

Provision of local content and the uptake of set top boxes has been on the rise since the Communication Authority (CA) of Kenya initiated the switch off of the analogue transmissions with the 3rd and final phase ending in 2015.

On July 1, 2016, the CA effected the Programming Code for Free to Air radio and television broadcasting. The Code was developed by the regulator in consultations with stakeholders is in accordance with the provisions of Kenya Information and Communications Act, 1998, as amended, and the Kenya Information and Communications (Broadcasting) Regulations, 2009, which obligate the Authority to prescribe a Programme Code that sets the standards for the time and manner of programmes to be broadcast by licensees.

According to statistics from the Authority, presently there are 63 free to air television stations , about four to five subscription TV services and a rise in programming services. This has been greatly attributed to the transition from analogue to digital services.