Introduction to the Media of Kenya

The media in Kenya is an entity that has grown leaps and bounds throughout recent years. The country contains 47 different counties, each with its' own governing body; which makes for very colorful media outlets. With so many different cultures in such a compact area, Kenya is considered to have Africa's most vibrant newspapers, television, and radio stations.

Publications/Newspapers

Kenya has four newspapers that circulate daily - The Standard, The Nation, Taifa, and The People - these four papers combined have a daily circulation of nearly 400,000.

The Standard is Kenya's oldest English language newspaper, but not its' most popular. The paper was founded in 1902, and was originally intended for civil servants, and the business community. Ownership and content of The Standard has changed several times over the years, which may be the reason they have lost so many readers. Nevertheless, The Standard has outlasted all other Kenyan newspapers, and still circulates to this day.

The Nation is Kenya's most popular newspaper based on circulation. 184,000 Kenyan's subscribe to The Nation, and receive it daily. This is also an English language newspaper, and was the first to use an Africanization policy in its' publication.

Taifa is a Swahili language paper that is operated by the same people who operate The Nation. They use the same reporters and editors, and it has a circulation of 35,000.

The People is the youngest daily circulating paper that Kenya offers. It started off as a weekly publication, but turned into a daily with a Sunday edition in 1998. By 2002, The People had a circulation of 60,000. The People was founded to take on the stories that The Standard and the Nation refused to report, and its' success will depend on the acceptance of the people of Kenya.

Kenya also has 10 more non-daily newspapers.

Television

Kenya has six television stations:

1. Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) - used mainly for government purposes, but also has a sister station, KBC Metro, that provides entertainment based programs.

2. Kenya Television Network (KTN) - first station to break away from KBC, originally created to show "activism journalism", but now focuses on business reporting. KTN has had a very positive impact on Kenyan culture.

3. Nation TV Channel 42 (NTV) - reports on all the happenings in Kenya. Owned by Nation Media Group, Kenya's largest media corporation, several NTV journalists have received CNN's Journalist of the Year Award.

4. Family TV - a Christian organization that sets out to provide an alternative television source with a religious angle.

5. Citizen TV (Royal Media) - founded in 1998, Citizen TV broadcasts current event programs as well as entertainment programs.

6. Sayare TV - Broadcasts Christian and gospel programs

Radio

The main radio station in Kenya is owned by KBC. It broadcasts in English, Swahili and 15 other local languages. Being state owned, the station sticks to politics, and government news, but it will sometimes delve into entertainment news.

Metro FM, Capital FM and KIIS FM are all privately owned stations in Kenya that are all music based.

The media in Kenya is an ever-growing business. They now have school's which are devoted to journalism, and many people who have a passion for seeking and reporting. Much more information and statistics on the growth of Kenyan media can found here.