Media of Kenya

Prime Minister Raila Odinga addressing the Kenyan media during the 2007–08 Kenyan crisis.

Media in Kenya includes more than 90 FM stations, more than 15 TV stations, and an unconfirmed number of print newspapers and magazines. Publications mainly use English as their primary language of communication, with some media houses employing Swahili. Vernacular or community-based languages are commonly used in broadcast media; mostly radio.

Kenya's state-owned Kenya Broadcasting Corporation remains the only broadcaster with countrywide coverage. It broadcasts in both English and Swahili plus various vernacular languages. Royal Media services is the largest private national broadcaster with countrywide coverage. It also broadcasts in both English and Swahili plus various vernacular languages. A dozen private radio and television stations have ranges that are limited to the Nairobi area.

Legislation

The media in Kenya is regulated by a statutory body called the Media Council of Kenya. The Media Council of Kenya is an independent national institution established by the Media Act, 2007 as the leading institution in the regulation of media and in the conduct and discipline of journalists. It is mandated amongst other to register and accredit journalists, register media establishments, handle complaints from the public and create and publish yearly media audit on the Media Freedom in Kenya. During accreditation the journalists agree to adhere to the Code of Conduct and Practice of Journalism in Kenya, which was created by media practitioners and stakeholders with the view of making Journalism in Kenya a more professional and respectable field. The media is also regulated by the Kenya Film Classification Board, a State Corporation under the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts which is mandated by the Films and Stage Plays Act Cap 222 laws of Kenya to regulate the creation, possession, broadcasting, exhibition and distribution of films in Kenya.

Radio

KBC, Citizen FM, Kiss FM (pop), Classic FM (classics), Capital FM (rock and pop), Easy FM (R&B), Metro FM(Reggae), X FM(Rock), Homeboyz Radio(Hip hop and R&B) are the popular radio stations in Kenya in terms of listeners and coverage. A number of established private radio stations broadcast in local vernacular languages, including Kameme FM and Coro FM (Kikuyu), Metro East FM (Hindi), Chamgei FM, Kass FM and Rehema Radio (Kalenjin), Lake Victoria (Luo), Mulembe FM (Luhya), Mbaitu FM (Kamba), Star FM (Somali).

However most radio are owned by few media companies. They are KBC, Nation Media Group, Standard Media Group, Radio AFrica Group, Royal Media Service, MediaMax Communication Group etc.

Television

KBC, NTV, KTN, Citizen TV, K24 are the biggest TV stations in Kenya in terms of coverage and viewers. Recently entertainment TV ventured in the Kenyan airspace with the inclusion of Kiss TV, a 24-hour Music TV Station and Classic TV which airs African content in terms of movies, programs and music.But recently tho two joined together.Digital TV is also available in Kenya with the likes of SmartTV and DSTV.

More than 100 applications for radio and television licenses are pending before the Communication Commission of Kenya, which is the independent regulatory authority for the communications industry in Kenya. Its role is to license and regulate telecommunications, radio-communication and postal/courier services in Kenya. Kenya's print media are diverse, ranging from well-respected newspapers and magazines to an expansive tabloid press.

Newspaper

Two independent national newspapers, the Daily Nation, The Standard and regional and specialised papers like Business Daily and The Star feature quality reporting, as does the weekly, The East African, which is published in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Kampala.

Under the Kibaki government, the media have demonstrated greater editorial independence than in previous years, and the number of press freedom abuses has declined. Still, some media policies and incidents continue to inhibit press freedom, e.g., the need to post a costly bond prior to publication and to register afterward. In 2003 the government invoked a restrictive constitutional provision on court coverage to intimidate journalists reporting on a possible political murder. In March 2006, hooded policemen raided the offices of The Standard newspaper and Kenya Television Network, claiming concerns about internal security.

Internet

See also: Internet in Kenya

All mainstream media houses have websites that they use to convey news and other information. The rise of online magazines, blogs and websites for Kenyan news is also increasing. Some of the top internet news companies in Kenya include the likes of Ghafla!, a youth entertainment company, Daily Post, DailyPost Kenya, inairobi, Kenya Moja, Kahawa Tungu, Buzz Kenya, Mpasho news, and many others.

Magazine

Kenya has a number of magazines most of which are published monthly and a few are bi-monthly. The magazines cover a range of topics such as business, lifestyle, politics, entertainment, media and other societal issues.

Following is a list of some of the magazines published in Kenya

Title	Topic	Period	Publisher	Editor	Website
African Woman Magazine	Women	–	Sylvia Owori	Sylvia Owori	[1]
Africa Medical Review	Health Kenya & Uganda	–	–	–	–
Animal Welfare	Animal & Ecosystem	–	–	Gatu Mbaria	[2]
Business Post Magazine	Business	–	Alex Gichira	Guchu Ndung’u	[3]
CIO East Africa Magazine	Business . Technology . Leadership	–	Kommunication Ultimate Ltd	Zachary Ochieng	[4]
Construction Review Journal	Construction	–	–	–	–
COUTURE Africa Magazine	Fashion . Beauty . Lifestyle	Monthly	Touch Media House Limited	Olive Gachara	[5]
Diplomat Magazine	Diplomatic	–	Global Village Publishers (EA) Ltd	Kwendo Opanga	[6]
The Edition Magazine	Professional	–	Footprints Press Ltd	Susan Wakhungu-Githuku	[7]
Expressions Today	Media	–	–	Henry Makori	–
Education Watch	Education	Bi Monthly	Shrend Publishers	Joseph Karanja	[8]
Homes Kenya Magazine	Kenyan Home Lifestyle	-	Beyond Media	Sam Wanjere	[9]
Home Assured Magazine	Home and Lifestyle	Bi Monthly	Home Assured Limited	Nelson Mkala	[10]
Destination Magazine	Lifestyle	Monthly	Haligonian Investment Ltd	Brennen Matthews	[11]
Management Magazine	Management	Monthly	Kenya Institute of Management	Carole Kimutai	[12]
Nairobi Law Monthly	Law	Monthly	Al-Nur Media Africa Ltd	Kevin Motaroki	[13]
Nairobi Business Monthly	Business	Monthly	Al-Nur Media Africa Ltd	David Wanjala
Parent Magazine	Family	Monthly	Stellan Consult Ltd	Eunice Mathu	[14]
Passion for Life Magazine	Life	Monthly	Alfred Mutua	Clay Muganda	[15]
Pregnant Magazine	Pregnancy	Monthly	Integral Media	Brenda Wangwe	–
Sacco Review	Co-operative Movement	Bi Monthly	Peter Silsil	Joseph Karanja	[16]
Salon Business Solutions Magazine		–	Afri-Salon Consultants Ltd	Faith Harry	–
Small Medium Enterprises Today	Entrepreneur	–	Liason Media	Munene Kaboro	[17]
Smartlife	Nakumatt Supermarket	–	Creative Edge	Jenny Luesby	[18]
SWARA	Conservation	Quarterly	East Africa Wild Life Society	Nigel Hunter	[19] Spotlight Magazine | Travel | Quarterly | Haligonian Investment Limited | Shreya Karia | www.sarovahotels.com
The Agrolink	Agriculture	–	Tropex Limited	Mumassabba Michael	[20]
The Corporate Intelligence Africa	Business	–	Talanta Africa Media & Telecommunications Ltd	Bernard Gitonga	[21]
The Exchange Magazine	Stock Market	–	East African Securities Exchanges	Donald Ouma	-
The Property Zone	Real Estate	–	Property Zone Consulting Ltd	Christine Mweteeli	[22]
Travel and Dining	Travel	Quarterly	–	–	–
True Love Magazine	Women	Monthly	Carole Mandi	Carole Mandi	[23]
Campus Chronicles	College and Youth Lifestyle	Monthly	Chronicles Media Limited	George Magunga	[24]
Tupike Magazine	Cooking	–	Lavender Hues Limited	Catherine Muraguri	–	–
Unique Homes	Real Estate	–	Unique Homes Magazine Kenya Limited	Kinoti Gatobu	[25]

All newspapers that are published are usually accomplished with a magazine in every daily edition.

Other notable companies also publish magazines for their client and publicity and advertisement. Some of these companies are Kenya Airways, Mada Hotels and ICPAK.

All other listed companies in the Nairobi Stock Exchange also publish their annual financial report.

External links

• Media Council of Kenya – Statutory Media Regulator
• Kenya Broadcasting Corporation – a government corporation
• site to listen kenya FM Radio stations Online freely
• Citizen TV - Kenya
• Media and Telecommunication Landscape in Kenya, a infoasaid guide, November 2010, 80 pp.