YouTubers feel the Kenyan audience has failed them

I recently noted that Kenyan filmmakers are growing daily.

There is just some new content, and storytelling is just unique from one movie or series to another.

Kenyan content on platforms like Netflix and Showmax is thriving.

A perfect example is County 49, a Kenyan political thriller series that broke the record for the most first-day views on Showmax in Kenya.

On Netflix, Kenyans made a debut with 'Sincerely Daisy'.

YouTube is another platform where Kenyan filmmakers are venturing.

Different channels, different content, but all are worthwhile.

This platform still remains underutilised by filmmakers.

YouTube in Kenya is basically all about travel, daily routines, tutorials, podcasts and short vlogs about an influencer’s life that might be interesting to his or her followers.

Most of my friends do not even watch Kenyan content on YouTube.

They ideally enjoy listening to music, watching educating videos, watching reaction videos and mostly get a thrill in watching content by other international influencers and content creators.

Some of my friends who are content creators feel that the Kenyan audience has failed them.

Their argument is that they have not yet received enough support from their home base.

Even though they enjoy the idea of having other people from other states watching their content, they still feel that their strongest fans should be Kenyan.

For those who rarely relish Kenyan content, once in a while, they entertain themselves with content from their friends.

I am an ardent believer in supporting friends and family.

Even though I support local content, content creation being one of my many hats, I still believe we can do more.

I normally watch some short films on YouTube from two channels: Omeleto and Million Youth Media (MYM).

I recently learnt about the former when I was binge-watching the latter.

I am pretty sure you know how the YouTube algorithm works or basically how a social platform’s algorithm works.

Based on the content you enjoy, the platform will suggest similar content.

Our filmmakers in Kenya today focus mainly on delivering content on spaces like Netflix and Showmax but have completely forgotten the YouTube space.

The amount of energy, time and effort put into delivering content for these different platforms differs in many ways.

Million Youth Media is a UK youth-led media company that specialises in creating content that is real, raw and relatable.

Their actors make the events in the films so surreal and leave you wanting more.

What caught my eye is the number of subscribers, the number of views and the number of videos uploaded.

I then thought to myself: What if young Kenyan minds would come together and consolidate their brilliant ideas, develop short films and instead of independently uploading content, form a YouTube platform like MYM and upload content that is accessible to everyone?

With MYM and Omeleto, their whole idea is develop the film and submit it.

What if Kenyan filmmakers created their own local Omeleto or MYM and produced short films?

YouTube is a platform that is accessible to everyone and we don’t have to pay to watch anything.

Someone who cannot afford to pay for Netflix or Showmax can never miss the action while on YouTube.

Today, my mum even streams news and church services from the comfort of her living room.

I believe that if filmmakers make their content accessible to everyone, things like lack of support for local artistes will not be a problem.

I mean, the content is available to everyone.

They will have the freedom of enjoying the content on YouTube, Showmax, Netflix, GoTv or even DSTV.

For new and upcoming creators that lack an audience, such a space can be very impactful in many ways.