These days, as a Kenyan with a smartphone running those 2GB bundles a day, how do you access your news?
The era of social media has enabled us to get the latest in politics, gossip, sports, all kinds of news from the comfort of our homes and workstations.
Over the last 17 years, the media landscape in the country has changed, which has further resulted in easy access to information because of the mushrooming of vernacular TV and radio stations.
However, for the last few decades, the Kenyan legacy media landscape has witnessed an erosion of economic vibrancy.
For example, newspaper circulation nationwide has been dropping since 2013, while television took a big hit in 2014 when the digital migration process began.
The Media Council of Kenya in its State of Media Survey 2021 report recently released indicated 40 per cent of Kenyans do not watch TV, which is a jump from 26 per cent last year.
Despite radio remaining as the main source of news and information, it is facing competition from the likes of social media and podcasts which are more conversation-driven.
This is a clear indication that digital media is fast-growing.
The last two decades have been definitive for the media in Kenya. First off, the operating environment has become liberalised and more competitive.
It is worth noting that, digital media is beginning to challenge the traditional players as the preferred platform for accessing news and information.
The information society is becoming inseparable thanks to communication media which enables or allows interactive communication through the internet and mobile telephony.
There are 61.41 million mobile subscribers in Kenya, and an estimated 21.75 million internet users.
This implies that mobile phones are the leading platform across the board for information access, enabling users to access voice text and the internet on one platform.
Kenya has a young population with a median age of 20.1, which is driving the use of digital media, especially social media.
It is becoming clear that new media has enhanced journalism and altered modes of information access.
Internet-based applications have opened the door for user-generated content and blogging, decentralising information sharing at an unprecedented speed and making it potentially viable for every Kenyan.
With the shift of audiences to online platforms, media companies need to reposition themselves and adopt new strategies to remain relevant.
Different media stakeholders in Kenya have called for a shift in journalism if the revered industry is to live on and thrive in the longer term.
The media environment in Kenya is changing rapidly and this poses major challenges to traditional media.
Even if it has the capacity or the resources, the media simply has to adjust to the changes if it is to stay afloat and remain relevant in light of the emerging consumption trends like digital media.
There are many exciting options ahead, and this is an area whose potential is yet to be fully exploited in the country.
There is a need for constant research and analysis of the industry, to keep pace with the changes and develop policies that are in sync with the public’s needs.
Chege is a journalist and Ngari a communication student at Rongo University
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
