Broadcasters say CA targeted them for punishment

Politics and policy

Standard Group CEO Sam Shollei (left), NMG’s chairman Wilfred Kiboro and Royal Media Services owner Samuel Macharia (right). FILE PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE |   NATION MEDIA GROUP

By JEREMIAH KIPLANG’AT, jkiplangat@ke.nationmedia.com

In Summary

• Committee chaired by Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau heard that the bad blood arose after the three defied CA’s directive to give their content for free to Pan-African Network Group, a Chinese content distributing company.
• MPs blamed the government for escalating the digital migration stalemate by side lining the three leading media houses and for continuing to side with a foreign company out to illegally use their content.

The three top free-to air stations did all they could to ensure the success of the digital migration but the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) put obstacles on their path, leading to the current row.

Nation Media Group, Standard Group and Royal Media Services, operating under African Digital Network (ADN) consortium, told the National Assembly’s Information Committee that the CA had targeted them for punishment.

The committee chaired by Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau heard that the bad blood arose after the three defied CA’s directive to give their content for free to Pan-African Network Group, a Chinese content distributing company.

“The CA is behaving like a prefect. They treat us like kids who do not understand business and who should be punished. The role of the regulator is to manage the industry and facilitate it to prosper so that thousands of people are employed,” said Nation Media Group (NMG) chairman Wilfred Kiboro.

Mr Kiboro told the MPs the media houses were not afraid of competition, but did not want to present their content to a foreigner to distribute on their behalf.

“Our brands are strong enough to withstand any competition. The government should act in the best interest of its citizens by protecting their businesses. We are seeing a government that is hell-bent on destroying our businesses,” he said.

Royal Media Services chairman Samuel Macharia said the set-top-boxes (STBs) in the market were for Pay TV and Kenyans would be forced to fork out money every month to access local TV stations.

Standard Group CEO Sam Shollei said the government was forcing Kenyans to move to Pay TVs in the pretext that they were going to get free services.

“What we plan is to move Kenyans to free-to-air TV, but right now we (government) are migrating them to pay TV. We are doing this in the public interest,” said Mr Shollei.

The MPs blamed the government for escalating the digital migration stalemate by side lining the three leading media houses and for continuing to side with a foreign company out to illegally use their content.

They said Kenyans were frustrated by the lack of access to their favourite stations. Turkana South MP James Lomenen said the interest of Kenyans should come before foreigners’.

“It is really painful to let foreigners drive this country and leave Kenyans frustrated,” said Mr Lomenen.

A report by the committee is expected next week.