NAIROBI: Kenya has announced ambitious plans for local TV broadcasters with local content aired on local TV channels to reach 60% by 2018. The announcement was made by Francis Wangusi, Director General of Communication Authority of Kenya on the 8th September at the Local Content Soko event, after the local content reached 40% in June 2015.
“The revised ICT sector legal framework vests the Authority with the responsibility of facilitating and encouraging development of local programmes. This responsibility entails prescribing the local content quotas adhered to by licensees and ensuring compliance with the prescribed thresholds,” he said.
Lizzie Changoti, CEO of the Kenya Film Commission stressed the importance of local content for viewers. “In Nigeria local content production is the second largest contributor to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) after oil, and Kenya should be able to consume our local content and grow it to enable it becomes a great contributor to our GDP too,” she said.
However, local content producers have experienced difficulties breaking in to the local market with competitors like Nollywood and Hollywood.
