This article contains a list of the top 10 media houses in Kenya.
The media industry in Kenya has been developing at a high rate, both in publishing and social media. In the modern world, news spread faster and easier, thanks to media houses that are dedicated to informing and educating Kenyans. Below are the top 10 media houses in Kenya.
Top Media Houses in Kenya
1. MultiChoice Group
Located in Nairobi, Kenya, MultiChoice group has about 5000 to 10,000 employees. MultiChoice Group specializes in TV broadcast and cable networks. The company’s branding, workforce, client base, products, and culture are what make them exemplary and exceptional. This firm is proud to say that it uses the power of entertainment to enrich lives.
MultiChoice has achieved these goals by telling compelling local stories that bring people together around a shared passion. More than 13 million people across 50 countries can’t all be wrong! By creating (and securing the rights to) phenomenal content, this firm has created jobs for thousands of people and invests in the industry and the countries it works in. The MultiChoice Group is known for its exceptional companies (MultiChoice South Africa and Africa, Showmax, Irdeto, DStv Media Sales) and brands (DStv, M-Net, GOtv, Supersport, and Showmax)
2. The Standard Group
The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in matters of national and international interest.
Its various media platforms include The Standard newspaper, KTN, KTN News, Radio Maisha, The Nairobian weekly newspaper, Standard Digital, The Standard Entertainment, Ktn Farmers, KTN Burudani, Spice Fm, Vybes Radio.
3. Nation Media Group
Nation Media Group is located in Nairobi and has about 5,000 employees. The Nation Media Group is the largest independent media house in East and Central Africa with operations in print, broadcast, and digital media, which attract and serve unparalleled audiences in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda.
As a brand, Nation Media Group is committed to generating and creating content that will inform, educate and entertain its consumers across the different platforms, keeping in mind the changing needs and trends in the industry.
4. Royal Media Services
The main office for Royal Media Services is located in Nairobi. This firm boasts of over 1,000 employees all over the country. Royal Media Services deals mainly with TV broadcast and cable networks. Royal Media Services has 2 TV stations (Citizentv, InooroTV), 14 radio stations, twelve of which are vernacular to cater to the diverse cultures in the region, and a Video on Demands platform (Viusasa). The radio stations are Radio Citizen, Ramogi FM, Inooro FM, Musyi FM, Chamgei FM, Muuga FM, Egesa FM, Bahari FM, Mulembe FM, Wimwaro FM, Sulwe FM, Hot 96 and Vuuka FM.
Royal Media Services fashion its programming primarily to connect with its audiences. Royal Media Services has over 7 million TV viewers daily, over 10 million radio listeners daily, over 52 million monthly social media reach, and over 30 million monthly page views on their digital platforms.
5. BBC
BBC has over 10,000 employees globally. This media company specializes in TV broadcast and cable networks. You might say “The Beeb” puts Britain on the air. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a publicly financed broadcasting company and the dominant force in TV and radio in the UK. It operates eight television channels offering a mix of programming that includes general entertainment, news, current affairs, and sports.
Its 10 radio services offer music, news, and sports programming throughout the country. The BBC also keeps the world informed through its BBC World Service radio network. In addition to broadcasting, the company creates and distributes television programs and distributes pay-TV channels to international markets through BBC Worldwide. The BBC was established by the royal charter in 1922.
6. Radio Africa
Ghanaian Quarcoo is the co-founder and CEO of the Radio Africa Group, which owns six Kenyan radio stations: Kiss 100, Classic 105, Radio Jambo, X FM, East FM, and Relax FM. The group also began broadcasting TV station Kiss Television this year, gaining popularity countrywide by airing Premier League matches as well as local and Nigerian movies.
The group also owns The Star, the third-largest newspaper in Kenya and arguably the most independent, which launched in July 2007 as the Nairobi Star but changed its name after it expanded distribution across the country. Though radio had been a successful venture for the group, the launch of The Star took it to a new level. Quarcoo was previously a journalist reporting for the likes BBC World Service.
7. ABC
ABC Media Group is located in a U.S based company but has offices in Nairobi and has over 1,000 employees across Kenya. The company deals in TV Broadcast and Cable Networks. Some Desperate Housewives, a Modern Family, and a group of doctors schooled in Grey’s Anatomy call this network home.
ABC operates the 3 television networks in the US (behind CBS and FOX), with more than 230 affiliates (including 10 corporate-owned stations). ABC also owns an 80% stake in ESPN, a leader in cable sports broadcasting with a stable of channels, including ESPN2, ESPN Classic, and ESPN News, as well as its flagship channel. (Publisher Hearst owns the remaining 20% of ESPN.)
In addition, the company operates mass-market publisher Hyperion. ABC is the cornerstone of Disney-ABC Television Group, the TV division of parent Walt Disney. The ABC Media Group has its offices in Nairobi. The company has created jobs for several Kenyans and also boosted the Kenyan media industry.
8. GroupM
GroupM is a publishing company with over 10,000 employees around the world. GroupM is full of talented, passionate people making a difference in advertising and the world as we know it. The company sits at the intersection of brands and media partners. It offers you a panoramic view into the world of advertising, where you will work alongside interesting brands and shape the future of media.
One out of every three ads globally comes through GroupM. People at GroupM are driven by a love of media. It strives to make advertising work better for people. GroupM infuses energy into the work that it does. This team is diverse and bursting with talent, both inside and outside the office. It’s this passion that drives GroupM to do exceptional work and has a great time doing it.
9. Anonymous Content
Anonymous Content is a company based in Los Angeles, New York, and London. It was founded in 1999. Anonymous Content has an office in Nairobi, Kenya. It is a multimedia production house with units devoted to Film, Integrated, Commercials, Music Video, Television, and Talent. The company represents renowned directors such as David Fincher, who had created videos for Madonna and The Rolling Stones; and Wong Kar-Wai, who has developed an ad for the BMW Films project.
Director Guy Ritchie’s Anonymous Content-produced Nike ad received about three million hits after it was posted on YouTube. Feature films from Anonymous Content have included “Babel” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”. The company has created several freelancing jobs for Kenyans
10. Pearson Education Kenya
Pearson is a publishing company motivated to supply learning materials around the world. Learning is the most powerful force for change in the world. More than 20,000 Pearson employees deliver our products and services in nearly 200 countries, all working towards a common purpose – to help everyone achieve their potential through learning.
Pearson does this by providing high-quality, digital content and learning experiences, as well as assessments and qualifications that help people build their skills and grow with the world around them. We are the world’s leading learning company. Learn more at pearsonplc.com.
The media industry is one of the leading factors in informing and educating people all over Kenya and the world at large. There are other several top media houses in Kenya doing the same work. To be featured in our news press or our articles, contact us at Bizna Kenya.