Kenya Broadcasting Corporation

Last updated

Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
TypeTerrestrial television and radio broadcast network
Country
Kenya
AvailabilityKenya
Founded1928;96 years ago (1928); as East Africa Broadcasting Corporation
by Colonial administration of British Kenya
  • 4.26%
    (TV by viewership)
  • <2%
    (Radio by audience) [1]
HeadquartersKenya Broadcasting Corporation, Harry Thuku Road, Nairobi
Broadcast area
Kenya
Owner Government of Kenya
Launch date
1928 (radio)
1962 (television)
Official website
 www.kbc.co.ke

Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) is the state-run media organisation of Kenya. [2] It broadcasts in English and Swahili, as well as in most local languages of Kenya.

Contents

The corporation was launched as a radio service in 1928 when Kenya was a British colony, making it the first radio station in Kenya.

The radio station was launched as the East African Broadcasting Corporation (EABC) which relayed BBC News. In 1964, when Kenya became independent, and the corporation's name was changed to Voice of Kenya.

In 1989, the Kenyan parliament reverted the corporation's name back to Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).

During the rule of president Daniel arap Moi, KBC became the mouthpiece of the government. Each broadcast opened with a piece on what the president had been doing that day. Under the then president, Mwai Kibaki, KBC took a more objective approach. The corporation helped most of Kenya's notable journalists especially before the liberalization of the airwaves in Kenya. The pioneer broadcasters post independence were Maurice Mwendah (TV), Simeon Ndesanjo (Radio), Dalail Mzee (Radio), Aziz Yakub, (Radio & TV), and Aish Jenneby (TV).

English service broadcasters who pioneered the service were Peter Clare, David Kelly, Hassan Mazoa, Sammy Lui, Norbert Okare, and Martin Billy Mutta, followed later by Peter Njoroge Mwaura, Elizabeth Omolo, Esther Kanyago, Yakub Ishaq, Amos Njogu amongst many.

In the 80s and 90s names such as Khamisi Themor, Leornard Mambo Mbotela, Omuga Kabisae, Ngulamu Mwaviro, John Obong'o Junior and Enacled Araba, were also heard. The English service had its share of KIMC graduates, Serah Kihara, Gladys Erude, John Karani, Wanjiru Kago and Johnstone Omurunga. Opportunities were also accorded to other KBC Technical employees such as Ike Mulembo, William Kiamba, Larry Wambua and others on the English Service.

The modern day KBC boasts of presenters like Rashid Mwamkondo, Cynthia Anyango, Rebecca Cherotich, Beatrice Gatonye, O' Brien Kimani, Isaac Lemoka, Edward Kabasa, Jeff Mwangemi, Catherine Ndonye, John Karani, Jeff Muya, Nick Ndeda, Ann Lemaiyan. Some of the renown producers include award-winning broadcaster Carolyne Gachacha, Geoffrey Onditi, Julia Wanjiku, Weldon Kirui, Nagayo Nura, Wamoyi Merciella, Ben Kamuti among others.

After many decades of dominance in the Kenyan market, KBC has been overtaken in programming content and ratings, especially with the advent of private TV stations and digital satellite television in the early 2000s. These new platforms brought more content options by airing classic TV shows (sitcoms, action thriller series, weekend movie nights), more children's entertainment (more allocation time and wide variety), and more refined local content.

KBC has however fought back and is among the leading stations in Kenya. KBC was particularly praised for being neutral in the coverage of the 2022 general elections. The KBC digital platform is very active and it has given a boost to its traditional media i.e. Radio and Television. The digital department is headed by Jared Ombui who was a presenter at KBC English Service. The newly elected government of President William Ruto promised to help KBC to overcome it's financial challenges. KBC is expected to be upgraded in parastatal rankings. This is expected to boost morale among its staff.

KBC aired the popular Vitimbi comedy and drama show for more than 30 years before the show was taken off air on the national broadcaster in 2015. [3]

History of KBC

Radio stations

StationLanguageLaunch dateWebsite
KBC English Service English 1928 kbcenglish.co.ke
KBC Western Service Pokot and Teso 1952
Radio Taifa Swahili 1953
KBC Eastern Service Turkana, Rendille, Burji, and Borana 1972
Coro FM Kikuyu 2000 corofm.co.ke
Pwani FM Swahili for the Coastal region2001 pwanifm.co.ke
Nosim FM Maasai 2011
Minto FM Kisii 2011
Kitwek FM Kalenjin 2011
Mwago FM Meru 2011
Mayienga FM Luo 2011
Mwatu FM Kamba 2012
Ingo FM Luhya 2012
Iftiin FM Somali iftiinfm.co.ke
Bula cadaan FM Somali

Programs

Current

Local shows

News

  • Good Morning Kenya
  • Lunchtime News
  • Prime Edition
  • Sunday Express
  • Legends Edition
  • News Check
  • Darubini
  • Darubini Wikendi
  • Tamrini
  • Dira ya Magwiji
  • Kurunzi Mashinani

Sports

  • Sports Check
  • Score Card

Imported shows

Junction Teens

Soap Opera

  • Corazon miente

Former

Domestic shows

Gospel

  • Joy Bringers
  • Sing and Shrine

Soap Opera

  • Tausi

Children's

  • Children's Variety Show

Comedy

  • Classmates
  • Kinyonga
  • Vioja Mahakamani
  • Family Affairs
  • Mahoka
  • Plot 10

Magic

  • Kiini Macho

Annual

  • Ring Us Up

Imported shows

Animated shows

Children's Programmes

Comedy

Drama

News

Telenovelas

Soap Opera

Reality

Anthology

Related Research Articles

Telecommunications in Kenya include radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radio broadcasting</span> Transmission by radio waves intended to reach a wide audience

Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio station, while in satellite radio the radio waves are broadcast by a satellite in Earth orbit. To receive the content the listener must have a broadcast radio receiver (radio). Stations are often affiliated with a radio network that provides content in a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast, or both. Radio stations broadcast with several different types of modulation: AM radio stations transmit in AM, FM radio stations transmit in FM, which are older analog audio standards, while newer digital radio stations transmit in several digital audio standards: DAB, HD radio, DRM.

Public broadcasting involves radio, television, and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing, and commercial financing, and avoid political interference or commercial influence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seoul Broadcasting System</span> South Korean television and radio network

Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) is one of the leading South Korean television and radio broadcasters. The broadcaster legally became known as SBS in March 2000, changing its corporate name from Seoul Broadcasting System. Its flagship terrestrial television station SBS TV broadcasts as channel 6 for digital and cable.

Simulcast is the broadcasting of programs or events across more than one resolution, bitrate or medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at exactly the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio. Likewise, the BBC's Prom concerts were formerly simulcast on both BBC Radio 3 and BBC Television. Another application is the transmission of the original-language soundtrack of movies or TV series over local or Internet radio, with the television broadcast having been dubbed into a local language.

Religious broadcasting, sometimes referred to as faith-based broadcasts, is the dissemination of television and/or radio content that intentionally has religious ideas, religious experience, or religious practice as its core focus. In some countries, religious broadcasting developed primarily within the context of public service provision, whilst in others, it has been driven more by religious organisations themselves. Across Europe and in the US and Canada, religious broadcasting began in the earliest days of radio, usually with the transmission of religious worship, preaching or "talks". Over time, formats evolved to include a broad range of styles and approaches, including radio and television drama, documentary, and chat show formats, as well as more traditional devotional content. Today, many religious organizations record sermons and lectures, and have moved into distributing content on their own web-based IP channels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation</span> Public radio and television broadcaster of Barbados

The Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is a public radio and television broadcaster, located in The Pine, St. Michael in Barbados. It was founded in 1963 as Radio Barbados. The CBC falls under the ministry and jurisdiction of the Prime Minister's Office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">98.4 Capital FM</span> Radio station in Kenya

98.4 Capital FM is a Kenyan urban music radio station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Namibian Broadcasting Corporation</span> Public TV and radio broadcasting corporation

The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) is the public broadcaster of Namibia. It was established in 1979, under the name South West African Broadcasting Corporation (SWABC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation</span> Ethiopian public broadcaster

The Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, now rebranded as ETV, is an Ethiopian government-owned public service broadcaster. It is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and is the country's oldest and largest broadcaster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass media in Kenya</span>

Mass media in Kenya includes more than 91 FM stations, more than 64 free to view TV stations, and an unconfirmed number of print newspapers and magazines. Publications mainly use English as their primary language of communication, with some media houses employing Swahili. Vernacular or community-based languages are commonly used in broadcast media; mostly radio.

The Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) is a Zambian television and radio station, formerly state owned, now technically a statutory body but still essentially under government control. It is the oldest, widest, and largest radio and television service provider in Zambia. It was established by an Act of Parliament in 1987, which was passed to transform the Zambia Broadcasting Services from being a Government Department under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services into a statutory body called the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation.

I Need to Know was a Nigerian family-oriented television series aired on the Nigerian Television Authority network (NTA) that ran from 1997 to 2002. It starred Funke Akindele as Bisi, Uche Ejiogu as Ngozi, Taiwo Lesh as Hauwa and Amaka Egwuatu as Essien and was sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund.

Kenyan reggae is mainly a fusion of Jamaican reggae and local ethnic singing styles that incorporate Lingala, benga and Kenyan hip hop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass media in Tanzania</span>

Mass media in Tanzania includes print, radio, television, and the Internet. The "Tanzania Communications Regulatory Act" of 2003 created the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority, which oversees broadcast licensing. The Media Council of Tanzania began in 1995.

Vitimbi is a Kenyan television comedy show that premiered in 1985 on Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, then known as Voice of Kenya. It revolves around the family of Mzee Ojwang and his wife Mama Kayai as they experience challenges of managing a restaurant.

Hon. Mohamed, Mohamed Ali, popularly known as Moha Jicho Pevu, is a Kenyan politician, media personality and anchor.

Lulu Khadija Hassan is a Kenyan journalist, news anchor, producer, and CEO of Jiffy Pictures. She hosts the Nipashe Wikendi news bulletin on Citizen TV, alongside Rashid Abdalla. The bulletin is broadcast in Swahili and airs on Saturday and Sunday.

References

  1. ↑ Kabuacha, Frankline (26 April 2022). "Top TV and Radio Stations in Kenya – Q1 2022". GeoPoll. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  2. ↑ "CAP. 221". kenyalaw.org. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  3. ↑ Mwaura, Samora. "This is vioja, 'Vitimbi' minus Mzee Ojwang Hatari". The Nairobian. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  4. ↑ "World Communications" (PDF). UNESCO. 1975. p. 71. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  5. ↑ "New channel for Kenya", Africa Film & TV Magazine, nº. 27, November 2000-January 2001
  6. ↑ "Pwani FM Live- Listen Online Here | My Radio".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.