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Important Links

Global Entrepreneurship Summit


Global Entrepreneurship Summit

Young African Leaders Initiative


Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)

Kenya Wildlife Service


Kenya Wildlife Service

U.S. – Kenya Relations


U.S. – Kenya Bilateral Relations Fact sheet

Background Information about Kenyan Media


Kenya Media Handbook

Kenya media overview
Kenya’s mass media has thrived since 1992 when the country restored multi-party democracy and liberalized the broadcast sector. Prior to 1992, the government maintained a tight control over the media, allowing only two daily newspapers and the state-run Kenyan Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) to operate under close scrutiny and interference. When opposition politics were re-introduced in Kenya, legislative changes guaranteed considerable freedom of speech across the country and opened the doors to multiple media outlets, which had previously been prevented from operating.
A growing economy has also propped up a middle-class and an advertising sector that has sustained the media businesses in Kenya even though key markets still remain in capital Nairobi and outlying cities of Kisumu and Mombasa.
The Constitution especially Article 33 and 34 of Chapter 4 guarantees the freedom of expression and freedom of the media. Article 35 on the other hand guarantees access to information by the media and the public.
Recent developments in Kenya’s media scene has however poisoned the freedom of expression and erected hurdles on the path of freedom of the media and the practice of journalism in a country considered as East Africa’s largest economy.
From the advent of multi-party politics in Kenya in 1992, Kenya’s vibrant media enjoyed freedom from formal government control until two draconian media regulations and laws were introduced in the government controlled National Assembly in December 2013.

The two legislations signed into law by President Uhuru Kenyatta but have now been contested in court by journalists, include;

• The Kenya Information and Communications Act 2013

• The Media Council Act 2013


The Kenya Information and Communications Act 2013 established a government-controlled tribunal with power to punish journalists and media houses for their reporting. The Communications and Multimedia Appeals Tribunal to be appointed by the President has the power to impose fines on media houses and journalists, recommend deregistration of a journalist and make any order on freedom of expression. Media houses that breach the new laws are to be fined Sh20 million (US$230,000) while individual journalists will pay Sh500, 000 (US$5,500) if they go against the law.
The Act also establishes the Communications Authority of Kenya that will have the power to decide on content for broadcasters.

The Media Council Bill Act established the Media Council of Kenya which has the powers to set media standards, regulate and monitor if the media adhere to set journalists code of ethics and media laws.


Prior to 1992, the government maintained a tight control over the media allowing only two daily newspapers and the state run KBC to operate albeit under close scrutiny and interference.
Journalists have gone to court arguing that the two legislations have breached Articles 33, 34 and 35 of the Constitution of Kenya which guarantees the freedom of the media and access to information by the media and the public.
As Kenyan journalists, editors and media owners battle the government in court over the introduction of the new draconian legislations against the media, the Kenyan government continues to maintain guarded control over the media through four key media laws:


  • The Kenya Media Act of 2007 established the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), a regulatory body aimed at self-regulation in the media. Under the Act, local and foreign journalists are required to submit between $30 and $3,000 to MCK to be licensed to operate in Kenya. Under the Act, the MCK also arbitrates dispute between the media and the public.



  • The Communications (Amendment) Bill of 2008 authorizes the government-appointed Communications Authority to determine standards for the manner, time, and type of broadcast programs to be aired on local television and radio channels. This law allows the government to control broadcast programming. The government used this law to suspend live broadcasts during the 2007/08 Post Election Violence.



  • The Kenya Information and Communications Act of 1998 authorizes the Communications Authority to allocate licenses to broadcasters. Denial of broadcast licenses has previously been used to stifle freedom of broadcasters.



  • The Statute Bill of 2001 requires newspaper publishers to increase their publishing bonds from $125 to $12,500 and prescribes a fine of $12,500 or a prison term of up to five years to any defaulters.

Most Kenyans rely on broadcast media, especially radio for news, information and entertainment. Most privately owned radio stations, broadcasting in Swahili and English emerged in the late 1990s following the liberalization of the airwaves. Some 90 radio stations, seven news TV channels, six daily newspapers and several weeklies and monthly magazines operate freely in Kenya.


International media such as CNN, BBC, AFP, Reuters, Washington Post and Bloomberg have offices and correspondents in Nairobi.
Some 90 radio stations, seven news TV channels, six daily newspapers and several weeklies and monthly magazines operate freely in Kenya. Most Kenyans rely on broadcast media, and especially radio for news, information, and entertainment. Most privately owned radio stations, broadcasting in Swahili and English, emerged in the late 1990s following the liberalization of the airwaves.

International media such as CNN, BBC, AFP, Reuters, Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg have offices and correspondents in Nairobi.


New media (Social media)
According to a recent report by CCK, the number of Internet users in Kenya stood at 16.2 million by December 31, 2012, an 11.6 percent growth from the 14.5 million users recorded at the end of September 2012. The study reports Internet penetration in the country went up by 4.3 percent to 41.1 percent in the last quarter 2012. The number of Internet subscribers increased by 75.1 percent in the quarter compared to same period in 2011.
The report attributes the growth in the Internet/data market segment to international Internet connectivity bandwidth that has continued to increase rapidly throughout the country. The growth of the Internet in Kenya is correlated to the growth in the use of social media, especially Facebook and Twitter. The National Cohesion and Integration Commission, a body charged with responsibility for dealing with hate speech, has found it difficult to control the use of social media in spreading hate speech. The Commission recently sued two regular social media users for alleged hate speech on social media platforms.
Print Media
The print media is dominated by two publishing houses, the Nation Media Group (NMG) and the Standard Group (SG). Both are also dominant in Kenya’s broadcast media.
DAILY NATION

The Daily Nation (www.nation.co.ke) was launched as a tabloid in January 1959. It is the second oldest and the largest circulating newspaper in Kenya, selling an average 231,000 copies daily. It is generally regarded as balanced and endeavors to enforce ethical journalism. In the past 10 years, it tended to lean towards President Kibaki’s government and was fiercely critical of President Daniel arap Moi’s regime. Its sister publication, the Sunday Nation, engages in a wide variety of opinion/commentary pieces written by a variety of op-ed and regular writers. The media group is traded on the Nairobi Securities Exchange with the Aga Khan (the spiritual leader of the Ismaili community worldwide) as its single largest shareholder, controlling 45 percent of the media firm.


NMG is the most profitable media company in east Africa, earning 3.5 billion Ksh in profit before tax in the 2012 financial term. It owns NTV in Kenya and Uganda, QTV, radio stations QFM and Easy FM, and publications Taifa leo (Swahili Daily), the weekly The East African, Business Daily, and the weekly sports newspaper, SportOn.
Quick Facts

Style: Tabloid

Frequency: Daily

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DailyNation

Twitter: @dailynation

Language: English

Headquarters: Nairobi

Credibility/Reliability: Reliable

Political affiliation: criticize government on public issues but tends to side with the ruling party during elections.

Religious affiliation: Neutral

Political bias toward USG/Military: Positive

Demography of audience: middle upper/upper class, businessmen/investors, those interested in politics, youth.

Circulation: 231,000

Coverage focus: Politics, Social news, opinion, analysis, entertainment, sports.

Hierarchy

Chief Executive: Linus Gitahi

Cell: 0722-775-660; Landline direct line 020 2242322

lgitahi@ke.nationmedia.com

Acting Group Editorial Director: Tom Mshindi

Direct landline: 020 221-4789

tmshindi@ke.nationmedia.com

Managing Director-Newspapers division: Tom Mshindi

tmshindi@ke.nationmedia.com

Managing Editor: Mutuma Mathiu

mmathiu@ke.nationmedia.com

Cell-0724 357492

Editor: Eric Shimoli

eshimoli@ke.nationmedia.com

Cell-0722 770841
THE STANDARD

Launched in 1902, The Standard (www.standardmedia.co.ke) is a tabloid style publication. It is the oldest and the second largest newspaper in Kenya selling close to 75,000 copies daily. It is an independent newspaper that has tended to lean towards the opposition. In 2005 and 2010 Constitution referenda and 2007 Presidential election, the paper tended to lean towards Raila Odinga—a political figurehead who campaigned on the platform of political democracy and change. However in the 2013 presidential polls, the newspaper struggled to remain objective and tended to side with Deputy Prime Minister and Jubilee candidate Uhuru Kenyatta. This followed change in management in which media operative Sam Shollei replaced long serving CEO Paul Melly. The newspaper is quoted at the Nairobi Securities Exchange but former President Daniel arap Moi and his close business allies retain the controlling stake in the media firm operating under the Bazara Limited and the Standard Group. The company also owns KTN, Radio Maisha and Sports weekly Game Yetu. The group also publishes The Standard on Sunday.

In March 2, 2006 hired thugs backed by foreign mercenaries raided the Standard Group’s offices and printing plant and assaulted staff on duty, destroyed broadcasting equipment and the printing press, before stealing computers containing vital records and burnt copies of newspapers in what the management claimed was an attempt to muzzle the media company.
Style: Tabloid

Frequency: Daily

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/standardkenya

Twitter: @StandardKenya

Language: English

Headquarters: Nairobi

Credibility/Reliability: Reliable

Political affiliation: criticized government on public issues during the Moi and Kibaki regimes but has mellowed to show support for the Kenyatta government since 2013.

Religious affiliation: Neutral

Political bias toward USG/Military: Positive

Demography of audience: middle upper/upper class, businessmen/investors, those interested in politics, youth.

Circulation: 75,000

Coverage focus: Politics, Social news, opinion, analysis, entertainment, sports.

Hierarchy

Chief Executive: Sam Shollei CEO

Cell: 0729-775-055; direct landline: 3222110

sshollei@standardmedia.co.ke



Managing Editor: Kipkoech Tanui

Cell: 0722 714070

ktanui@standardmedia.co.ke

THE PEOPLE DAILY

The People (www.thepeople.co.ke) is a free issue tabloid. It was established in 1993 as a mouthpiece for opposition politicians. Over the years, the newspaper has seen tumultuous periods as it toyed with near closure due to financial strains. It was the brainchild of the 1990s opposition chief Kenneth Matiba who set it up as a fiercely independent and a deeply investigative weekly rag that exposed corrupt deals in the Moi regime. It has since changed management as Mediamax Network Limited, a company associated with the family of President Uhuru Kenyatta, bought it out in 2009 and changed it to a daily newspaper before converting it into a free to issue newspaper in 2014. It was largely partisan in support of Kenyatta’s candidacy in the March 2013 presidential poll. Mediamax Group also runs K24 TV, and Kameme and Meru FMs—vernacular (Kikuyu/Meru) stations that broadcast in Nairobi and Central Kenya.
Style: Tabloid

Frequency: Daily

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepeopledaily?fref=ts

Twitter: @PeopleDailyKe

Language: English

Headquarters: Nairobi

Credibility/Reliability: Not reliable

Political affiliation: Supports Jubilee Government, Kikuyu businesses

Religious affiliation: Neutral

Political bias toward USG/Military: Positive

Demography of audience: Lower class, semi-illiterate, rural folks

Circulation: 20,000

Coverage focus: Politics, Social news, opinion, analysis, entertainment, sports.
Hierarchy

Managing Editor: Maina Muiruri

maina.muiruri@mediamax.co.ke

Cell: 0722 782029

Editor: Chris Oyuga

Chris.oyuga@mediamax.co.ke

0722178618
TAIFA LEO

Taifa Leo founded in 1958 is the only Swahili daily published in Kenya. It is produced by the Nation Media Group (NMG) and targets the less educated but also has a large following among school going children keen to improve their mastery of Swahili. NMG has faced difficulties in improving its circulation which oscillates between 10,000 and 15,000 copies daily.

Style: Tabloid

Frequency: Daily

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/GAZETI-LA-TAIFA-LEO/34780474465

Twitter: @Taifa_Leo

Language: Swahili

Headquarters: Nairobi

Credibility/Reliability: Reliable

Political affiliation: criticizes government on public issues but tends to side with the ruling party during elections.

Religious affiliation: Neutral

Political bias toward USG/Military: Positive

Demography of audience: middle upper/upper class, businessmen/investors, those interested in politics, youth.

Circulation: 15,000

Coverage focus: Politics, Social news, opinion, analysis, entertainment, sports.

Hierarchy

Chief Executive: Linus Gitahi

Cell: 0722-775-660; Landline direct line 2242322

lgitahi@ke.nationmedia.com

Managing Director-Newspapers division: Tom Mshindi

tmshindi@ke.nationmedia.com

Managing Editor: Mutuma Mathiu

Cell-0724 357492





THE STAR

The Star was launched as the Nairobi Star (www.the-star.co.ke) in 2007 it is published by the Star Publications. Radio Africa Group—the operators of the popular youth radio Kiss FM and Classic FM own shares in the Star Publications Limited. Highly sensational in its choice of front page headlines, The Star has come out as bold and aggressive in fighting for a share of press consumers in Kenya. Currently selling about 8,000 copies daily, the Star recently commissioned its own printing press to cut down on production costs. It publishes daily other than Sundays.
Style: Tabloid

Frequency: Daily except Sundays

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thestarkenya

Twitter: @TheStarKenya

Language: English

Headquarters: Nairobi

Credibility/Reliability: Not reliable

Political affiliation: criticizes government on public issues

Religious affiliation: Neutral

Political bias toward USG/Military: Positive

Demography of audience: The youth, middle lower class, those interested in politics.

Circulation: 8,000

Coverage focus: Politics, Social news, opinion, analysis, entertainment, sports

Hierarchy

Chairman: Dr. Evans Kidero (Governor—Nairobi)

Chief Executive: William Pike (British)

William.pike@the-star.co.ke



General Manager: Patrick Ndeda

Cell: 0722-767-196

Catherine.gucheru@the-star.co.ke

Managing Editor: Charles Kerich

Cell: 0722 607124

charles.kerich@the-star.co.ke

Political Editor: Paul Ilado

Cell: 0722669181

Paul.ilado@the-star.co.ke
THE BUSINESS DAILY

The Business Daily (http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/) is a publication of the Nation Media Group. It was launched in 2007 to satisfying the growing number of business enthusiasts and the growing stock market traders and expatriates in Kenya. It is the only specialized business news daily in Kenya. However it does not publish on Saturdays and Sundays. It is fashioned alongside Financial Times.



Quick Facts

Style: Pink paper/tabloid

Frequency: Daily except Saturdays/Sundays

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BusinessDailyAfrica/info

Twitter: @Bdafrica

Language: English

Headquarters: Nairobi

Credibility/Reliability: Reliable

Political affiliation: None/business news oriented

Religious affiliation: Neutral

Political bias toward USG/Military: Positive

Demography of audience: middle upper/upper class, businessmen/investors.

Circulation: 30,000

Coverage focus: Business news, analysis.

Hierarchy

Chief Executive: Linus Gitahi

Cell: 0722-775-660; Landline direct line 020 2242322

lgitahi@ke.nationmedia.com

Acting Group Editorial Director: Tom Mshindi

Direct landline: 020 221-4789

tmshindi@ke.nationmedia.com

Managing Editor: Ochieng Rapuro

orapuro@ke.nationmedia.com

Cell-0722 788-122
THE EAST AFRICAN

The East African (http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/) is a weekly publication of the Nation Media Group launched in 1996 to capture the pulse of the east African community. It specializes on regional integration and business development issues across the five east African states of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. It is published in Nairobi but its largest circulation has been recorded in Rwanda.


Quick Facts

Style: Tabloid

Frequency: Weekly

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheEastAfrican

Twitter: @The_EastAfrican

Language: English

Headquarters: Nairobi

Credibility/Reliability: Reliable

Political affiliation: None/business news oriented

Religious affiliation: Neutral

Political bias toward USG/Military: Positive

Demography of audience: middle upper/upper class, businessmen/investors.

Circulation: 130,000

Coverage focus: Business news, analysis, regional integration news

Hierarchy

Chief Executive: Linus Gitahi

Cell: 0722-775-660; Landline direct line 020 2242322

lgitahi@ke.nationmedia.com

Acting Group Editorial Director: Tom Mshindi

Direct landline: 020 221-4789

tmshindi@ke.nationmedia.com

Editor: Peter Munaita

pmunaita@ke.nationmedia.com

Cell-0722 379815

THE WEEKLY CITIZEN

The Weekly Citizen is a 20 page weekly tabloid newspaper bordering on gutter press. The newspaper was established in 1997 as a four page A4 size underground leaflet or alternative press circulating in Nairobi and its suburbs at the height of the campaigns for multiparty politics in Kenya. During the period, the government of retired president Daniel Moi stiffled the media to an extent that the press was unable to published investigative stories touching on corruption and abuse of human rights.



Quick Facts

Style: Tabloid

Frequency: Weekly

Facebook:

Twitter:

Language: English

Headquarters: Nairobi

Credibility/Reliability: not reliable

Political affiliation: opposition

Religious affiliation: Neutral

Political bias toward USG/Military: Positive

Demography of audience: lower class.

Circulation: 30,000

Coverage focus: Politics, investigative stories.

Hierarchy

Chief Executive/Managing Editor: Tom Alwaka

0723 755 050



Broadcast media Overview

According to a BBC World Service media consumption survey in 2009, the four most popular TV stations are Citizen TV, KBC, KTN and Nation TV. Citizen TV, which forms part of the Royal Media Services group, scored the highest overall rating.

 State-run KBC was the most widely viewed station in rural areas, but scored the lowest rating of the four leading stations in Nairobi. KTN and Nation TV were both popular in urban areas. 58% of those polled said they had watched television in the past week – although many of them did not have a TV set at home.

 Nearly all Kenyans are regular radio listeners. 98% of those surveyed listened to FM stations, often on their mobile phones. The survey found that 89% of respondents obtained news and information from the radio at least once a week.

The top two stations in terms of nationwide audience were Citizen FM and KBC’s Kiswahili service. The music stations Easy FM and Kiss 100 FM were popular with people under 30.
Vernacular Radio channels

Royal Media’s Kikuyu-language station Inooro FM (Kikuyu) is among the most listened to vernacular stations in Kenya. The BBC survey shows that 56% of respondents to the survey in Central Province and Nairobi listened to Inooro FM. The KBC Kikuyu station Coro FM is also a popular vernacular station.

 In Nyanza Province the homeland of the Luo tribe, most people listen to Royal Media Services Luo language station Ramogi FM. The group’s Kamba language station Musyi FM. 

The dominant station amongst Kalenjin speakers in Rift Valley Province, the scene of repeated land clashes between local tribes and Kikuyu settlers, is the privately owned Kass FM.

Kenya has more than 30 vernacular broadcast radio stations.



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