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Local broadcasters have achieved a 90 per cent compliance level in local content programming, according to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), a growth from 50 per cent in 2017.

“All these are in addition to other improvements, but without forgetting the arduous ‘watershed period’ requirement whose compliance level has now surpassed the 90 per cent mark,” noted CA’s Director – General Ezra Chiloba , during last week’s KUZA Broadcasting Awards 2023, an annual award that seeks to recognise and fete excellence in broadcasting.

Further, Chiloba noted that compliance with the people living with disabilities (PWDs) sign language has now achieved 100 per cent compliance levels up from 70 per cent six years ago, while children’s programming is now 30 per cent, up from a paltry 5 per cent back in 2017.

Currently, the programming code for broadcasting services in Kenya requires that broadcasting organisations ensure that at least 40 per cent of their stations’ programming is local content. The new proposal under review looks to raise the bar to 60 percent.

The Kenyan government in 2014 passed a broadcasting regulation requiring broadcasting stations to ensure 40 per cent local content in TV and radio broadcasts.

Tasked to oversee the progression, CA in 2021 also announced that it was finalising on the review of children and local content programming guidelines, in recognition of the changing nature of broadcasting models.

Unlike under the Unified Programming Code, where both free-to air and pay television providers were required to meet similar set requirements, the proposed new guidelines are “service-specific” applicable only to licensees offering the service in question, for example News, or premium content.

The broadcasting sector guidelines are also expounding on the provisions of the Programming Code and cater for emerging broadcasting industry requirements.