Analogue switch off to continue as planned, Matiang’i says

Politics and policy

ICT Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i. PHOTO | FILE 

By OKUTTAH MARK

In Summary

• Dr Matiang’i was reacting to media reports that the Supreme Court had put on hold the switch over date after Nation Media Group, Royal Media Services and Standard Group sought interim orders to stay the analogue switch off date set by the Communication Authority of Kenya.

The digital migration switch off planned for December 31 at midnight will go as planned, ICT Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said, adding that the Supreme Court did not suspend the analogue switch off as had been requested by three leading media houses.

Dr Matiang’i was reacting to media reports that the Supreme Court had put on hold the switch over date after Nation Media Group, Royal Media Services and Standard Group sought interim orders to stay the analogue switch off date set by the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA).

The three had also asked the Supreme Court to restrain CA from cancelling their analogue broadcasting license while they put in place the infrastructure necessary to migrate to digital broadcasting.

Dr Matiang’i, however, said the Gazette notice that had outlined the time table and given the dates of migration has not been cancelled and as such the deadline still remains.

“The Supreme Court specifically did not grant players who sought that analogue switch off for various areas be stayed,” Dr Matiang’i said. “The Communication Authority of Kenya under the advice will proceed with the regulatory notices as communicated to the analogue broadcasters.”

However analysts have said that the reason as to why the Court granted an interim stay order for the broadcasting licenses held by the three media houses was to enable them to continue broadcasting as they are currently doing until January 5, 2015 when the matter comes up for hearing.

CA noted that the channels to be affected in the Nairobi analogue switch-off include Citizen TV channel 34 and 39, KTN channel 59, KBC channel 23, K24 channel 26, NTV channel 42, QTV channel 12, Family TV channel 9, EATV, Channel 62 and Kiss TV channel 55.