Speaking at a World Press Freedom Day convention in Nairobi, Kenya today, Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta urged electronic media to broadcast public service announcements for free.
“My government spends substantial sums to reach Kenyans with basic public service information such services as public health. These are matter in which our government would like closer partnership with the media, to improve the lives of our peoples,” the president said.
“There is no reason whatsoever for any Kenyan to remain ignorant of basic public service information when we have nearly 100 stations broadcasting right across the nation. Perhaps for you to consider, every broadcaster might wish to provide two minutes per hour to carry free public service announcements addressing the matter of hygiene in the community and dealing with malaria,” the president said.
With that proposal, the president reminded the broadcasters that the public owns the frequencies.
“Those who operate the frequency do so on behalf of the public. The public collectively owns those airwaves.”
The president also spoke of digital migration, which is plans to bring more information on various sectors on the airwaves while opening opening up frequencies for broadband.
However, Kenya’s digital migration process has been dogged by in-fighting and court-cases among broadcasters and consumer bodies: a state-of-affairs that has delayed the process.
Nevertheless, the president diverged to say that broadcasters must provide more relevant content to Kenyans.
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