Radio In Kenya

The radio industry in Kenya has gradually evolved since the colonial days. At the time, there was only one government owned and controlled broadcasting station, the Voice of Kenya (V.O.K.).

Soon after independence, the government of the day maintained a tight hold on the national broadcaster, and effectively used it to not only propagate government policy but also propaganda. This continued undiminished even after the second president of Kenya took over the reigns of leadership.

Save for a name change to Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), that is what many adults in Kenya grew up with, until the airwaves were liberated albeit slightly and selectively in the nineties. In 1990, the first privately owned station, Kenya Television Network (KTN) was licensed. In 1996, Capital FM became the first privately owned radio station in Kenya.

This effectively opened doors for investment by many media operatives, both local and foreign. Today, there are more than thirty licensed radio stations, majority of them broadcasting on the frequency modulation (FM) spectrum. The industry is currently highly developed and specialized, with players targeting specific members of the populace.

There are many benefits accrued from the fast-growing radio industry. Chief among them is the significant role played by the mass media. Given the wide reach that radio commands, it is worth noting that radio largely influences a majority of Kenyans. In line with its prime purpose of dissemination of information, use of radio reaches out to more people. It is worth noting that radio sets are fairly affordable and exist in most of the households in the country. Kenyans are now more up to date with events that shape their lives, both locally and abroad.
Also, competition has seen many media owners invest heavily in rolling out their broadcasting equipment across the country. Many stations now have an almost nationwide reach. There are many Kenyans who are employed in these media houses.

Entertainment is one of the seven common needs of the modern man, the others being food, clothing, shelter, health, education and transport. With radio being a major channel for entertainment, the lives of Kenyans are thereby enriched largely by listening to music. The same has spawned a generation of local celebrities, mainly radio presenters and musicians.

For all investors, the overriding interest is to make money and realize profit. The broadcasting industry is a highly lucrative business, and the rapid increase in the number of stations on air attests to this. For advertisers, radio offers them a highly effective yet affordable way to reach out to the consumers of their products and services. Radio is a powerful advertising tool and many businesses attribute their success to radio advertising.

The many players in the radio industry therefore offer many benefits both to investors and to Kenyans for information is more effectively disseminated, Kenyans are more entertained and the media is a major player in the economy.

However, the radio industry is not without its fair share of challenges. The most memorable was the liberalization of the airwaves that heralded private ownership of these media outlets. The government was very reluctant in licensing individuals and companies to own and run broadcast stations. Even when this happened, it was done very selectively to favor only politically correct applicants. This left many otherwise reputable and able applicants with no way to invest. Kenyans were therefore denied access to information and entertainment of their choice. Despite spirited fights by the civil society, the opposition and members of the public, the government was quite unyielding.

After much pressure, several broadcasters were allowed to operate radio stations but the government and politicians openly interfered with these stations that were seen as sympathizing with the opposition or anti-establishment. Some even faced closures and lawsuits as a consequence of this intolerance.

The high costs of setting up and operating a radio station are usually a major hindrance to the growth of this industry. Equipment is very expensive, licenses too are costly and the break-even period is quite long.

Competition from other radio stations is a major challenge in the radio industry today. Every one is coming up with ways to overcome competition and remain relevant. This has seen the emergence of fragmentation and specialization in almost all stations. Some stations now play only a particular genre of music. Others target listeners from specific regions and tribes. Still others’ target audience is of a particular age or income group. Radio stations also face stiff competition from other media outlets like television.

Owing to the ever growing number of radio stations in the country, there is a general lack of innovation and creativity. Many stations lack a unique identity, often preferring to ape the same from stations abroad. The same station names, signatures and jingles, programme and news presentation and music formats exist in other countries. Thus stations are perennially being accused of playing too much foreign music and failing to promote local music and culture. Proper values are not being imparted on the youth who ape what they hear and see.

In view of the foregoing, the radio industry in Kenya continues to grow and evolve, emerging as a force to reckon with in the shaping of this country. As Maxwell Maltz once said, “We are built to conquer environment, solve problems, achieve goals, and we find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve.”

I was born in Nairobi, Kenya, 25 years ago. The realization that I can write came after I read ‘The River Between’ by Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart’. This was before my 10th birthday. I therefore started contributing to ‘Rainbow’, a Kenyan Children’s Magazine. Later on, I would write for my High School and College Magazines. Currently, I write for Capital FM’s ‘QZ Magazine’. I also e-publish PETSTANMOST, a monthly ezine that profiles my graphic design and writing skills.
My writing for QZ Magazine heralded involvement in other forums. I now write and carry out graphic design and layout for Manenoworld Limited, publishers of a Children’s Magazine and Diary in Kenya.
I currently am working on a collection of short stories and a novel which will both be published early 2007.