Radio Jambo one of Kenya's most popular Swahili stations

Kenya may have gone digital, particularly the younger generations, with the GenZ demonstrators organizing and promoting their campaign via X, WhatsApp, texts, Facebook, YouTube and emails, but radio and television remain the top sources for news among Kenyans generally, according to the latest Audience Measurement and Industry Trends report by the Communications Authority (CA) of Kenya.

See below: Kenya Entertainment and Media Spend 2023-2027 (USD M)

Vibrant radio sector

Most Kenyans still rely on traditional sources for news and entertainment with the radio sector thriving.

Kenya is home to 159 radio stations. According to the report, some 80 percent of people surveyed listen to the radio, 97 percent watch TV and 97 percent use mobile phones.
Mobile phones now make up about 33 percent of radio listenership but traditional radio sets remain the main means of listening.

Radio broadcasts such a variety of content the report says, that “ensures listeners have numerous options to choose from, catering for different tastes and preferences.”
Kenyans also have access to 121 television stations, also broadcasting a wide variety of programmes.

“Social media” says the report, is largely accessed via mobile phones and remains a key component of media consumption.”

Media gender gap

Interestingly, the CA report found a gender gap in media consumption with women accessing fewer media platforms than men.

The report revealed that whereas 82 percent of men listened to radio in the fourth quarter of 2023-24, only 72 percent of women did so.

Similarly, when it comes to other media platforms, 68 percent access them compared to 49 percent of women.

Multiple platform integration

However, gone are the days of single platform access. The CA report found that one in four respondents to the survey relied on more than one platform for their media consumption, although TV and radio still leading the list of platforms, followed by online usage making up the top three.

The CA report concluded: “A prominent trend in media consumption has been the integration of multiple platforms, including radio, television, and online mediums. 26 percent of total media consumption in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year 2023-24 was made up of combined media usage.

“This indicates, says the report, “that a substantial portion of the population is engaging with various media formats, simultaneously, encompassing radio broadcasts, television programming and online content.”

Kenya listeners prefer Swahili

In May 2022 a GeoPoll survey found that Kenyans prefer to listen to radio shows in Swahili rather than in English.

The report ranked Radio Citizen as the most popular station in the country for the third year running with a ten percent market share. It is followed by Radio Jambo – another Swahili station with 8.6% market share.

Classic 105 was the top ranked English station at position three.

Kenya Entertainment and Media Spend 2023-2027 (USD M)