CAK (Communication Authority of Kenya) has issued a notice of its intention to revoke the broadcasting licences of 56 TV stations.
- •Among those on the list is Mwariam TV, Miracles TV, Magodo TV, Mugumo TV, MurataTV, Pwani TV, RescueTV, Saut i TV, R T N TV, Lamu Youth TV, and Kwese TV.
- •Other stations listed by CAK include Christian Faith TV, Christian Church Jubilee TV, High Life Television, Health and Harvest Family TV.
- •Notable on the above list is Kwese TV- the pay TV service owned by telecoms giant Econet, which is now facing liquidation in a case before the High Court.
“The revocation will take effect seven days from the date of the Gazette Notice,” CAK Director-General David Mugonyi said in the notice, “Any resources held under these licenses shall revert to the authority upon revocation.
The licenses are held by a wide range of enterprises, including religious institutions, community groups, media companies, a driving school, and a farmers’ federation. According to the CAK database, there were 639 licensed broadcasters, both TV and Radio, in June 2023.
According to the Q2 2023/24 CAK statistical bulletin, most audiences still consume TV through the traditional set, while 11% access the TV through mobile phones, 3% through online streaming, and 2% through the desktop/laptop.
Due to lean times, a number of TV stations have closed their subscription model and other costly third-party channels. For instance, Kwese TV was only airing free-to-air religious, news, and sports channels and no longer charges any monthly subscription fees.
The CAK is currently considering five license applications for commercial free to air TV, and four for community free to air radio.
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