The media industry in Kenya has witnessed rapid growth since the country transitioned from analogue to digital broadcasting.
This has resulted in a rapid increase in the number of investors in the sector, including foreign business persons, leading to a surge in the number of TV and radio stations.
As per a recent report, Kenya now boasts close to 70 local TV stations, with many of them being owned by affluent business people who have been enjoying favorable returns on their investments.
Meet tycoon who owns Guardian Angel bus company, Nyamira Express and Guardian Hotel
Bizna Kenya examines the affluent tycoons who are the owners of Kenya’s prominent TV stations.
Dr S.K Macharia
Billionaire Samuel Kamau Macharia is the owner of three television stations under the Royal Media Services (RMS) group in Kenya. These three stations are Citizen TV, Inooro TV, and Ramogi TV, which were launched in 1999, 2015, and 2021, respectively.
Citizen TV is the most-watched local TV station in Kenya, with an average of 1.7 million viewers per 30-minute time block, accounting for 35 percent of all viewers in the country.
Inooro TV is also one of the largest TV stations in Kenya, with a reach of 17.2 percent in Central Kenya and 5.1 percent nationally, according to a 2020 KARF report.
Simon Gicharu
Radio 47 is a new radio station that has quickly gained popularity in Kenya. It is owned by billionaire Simon Gicharu’s Cape Media Company. In addition to Radio 47, Gicharu also owns TV47, a free-to-air 24-hour television channel that was launched in 2019.
TV47 primarily broadcasts in English and Swahili and has attracted several renowned media personalities such as DR Ofweneke, Frederick Muitiriri, and Lolani Kalu, who were formerly associated with other media outlets like Switch TV and NTV.
TV47 has state-of-the-art studios located in Nairobi and Mombasa, and has invested in modern equipment to ensure high-quality news and programming for its viewers across all the 47 counties of Kenya.
Senator Gideon Moi
The former Baringo senator is in charge of the Standard Media Group, which is owned by the Moi family. The media house, located on Mombasa road, owns a print newspaper called The Standard and operates four television stations: KTN Home, KTN News, Farmers TV, and KTN Burudani. Additionally, SMG also operates several radio stations, including Radio Maisha, Vybz Radio, and Spice FM.
KTN Home, which first went on air in 1990, has been ranked as the third most-watched television station in Kenya. On the other hand, KTN News, which was launched in 2015 with a focus on news, investigative pieces, and current affairs, was ranked fourth in 2021.
Kevin Mulei, a well-known businessman, is the founder and owner of NRG Radio, a popular station that caters to the youth in Kenya.
NRG Radio holds the distinction of being the first visual radio station in the country, allowing its audience to not only listen via radio but also watch live shows on its online platform.
Mulei’s journey in the business and media world started from being a DJ and hosting events such as the popular Groove awards. He also founded MO Sounds, further establishing his reputation.
Joshua Chepkwony
Joshua Chepkwony, also known as CK Joshua, is a billionaire entrepreneur who is the founder and owner of Kass Media Group. This media entity operates Kass TV and Kass FM, which are TV and radio stations that primarily broadcast in the Kalenjin vernacular language.
Kass TV, launched in 2005, holds the distinction of being the first vernacular TV station in the country. According to a 2021 report, the station enjoys an average of 5.1 hours of viewership per week. In addition to his media ventures, Joshua is also the owner of Jamii Telecommunications, Jamii Millings Company, and Sergoit Holdings Limited.
Ali Jamah
Ali Jamah, a relatively lesser-known Kenyan tycoon, is the owner of Ebru TV, which he acquired from its Turkish owners. The station is currently managed by Jamah’s wife, Anab Mohammed, who resigned from her position at the United States International University (USIU) to serve as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ebru TV.
Over the years, Ebru TV has been a training ground for several Kenyan media personalities, including Kamene Goro, Joan Obwaka, Milliah Tabitha Kisenya, Doreen Gatwiri, and Diana Rachel, among others.
As per a report released by the Communication Authority of Kenya (CAK) in 2020, Ebru TV enjoyed a viewership of approximately 3 to 4 per cent of the total market share.
Sam Omukoko
Sam Omukoko is the owner and managing director of Metropol TV, a television station with national coverage that focuses primarily on market analysis and business news.
The station was established in March 2018 and has featured renowned media personalities such as Terryanne Chebet (formerly of citizen TV) and the esteemed stock market trader and analyst Aly Khan Satchu. Other notable mentions include Nina Shaban and Yvonne Toywa.
Metropol TV caters to entrepreneurs and individuals with a business-oriented mindset who seek to gain insights into the market and economic parameters through business news articles and financial analysis.
