How KBC Rose To Beat KTN, Tie With NTV In 2022

National broadcaster Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) surprised the likes of KTN Home, KTN News, Inooro TV and K24 TV while growing its viewership sporadically between 2021 and 2022.

According to the latest report by the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) titled State of Kenya's Media in 2022 released on Monday, February 13, KBC rose from just 3 per cent in 2021 to 12 per cent in 2022.

In 2022, KBC tied with NTV at 12 per cent and were both beaten to the top by Citizen TV, which remains the most-watched television station in the country. Standard Group Limited's KTN Home and KTN News followed with 11 per cent and 7 per cent respectively. 

Inooro TV was sixth with 6 per cent, K24 had a 5 per cent viewership while Ramogi TV rounded up the top eight with 3 per cent, more than a year after it was launched.

A presentation of the most-watched TV stations in 2022. /FACEBOOK.MEDIA COUNCIL OF KENYA

Whilst Citizen TV, according to the MCK's January 2023 analysis of the most-watched TV stations, remained top with 38 per cent, KBC was in the top four at 9 per cent, only beaten by KTN Home (12 per cent) and NTV (13 per cent).

Viral Tea looks at factors that defined KBC's year in 2022:

President William Ruto's swearing-in ceremony

As many Kenyans were unable to troop to Kasarani Stadium to catch President William Ruto being sworn in on September 13, 2022, due to the 60,000-seater stadium being packed to capacity before 5.00 am, they chose to follow it from the comfort of their homes.

They tuned in to TV stations to catch the ceremony live, and with the explosive rise of the digital age, others followed the proceedings through live streams on YouTube and other social media platforms.

The MCK in its report released the following day showed how many Kenyans watched the swearing-in through the YouTube channels of Kenya's mainstream media houses as well as digital platforms.

Amidst the heavy online conversation surrounding KBC before the swearing-in, its live stream was watched by 18,368 people, which was more than KTN News which recorded an average of 17,784 live views. To be specific, its usual audience in prime events similar to Ruto's inauguration averaged only 1,000.

With the announcement, KBC's social media team was kept busy and churned out creative post after creative post, showcasing the content, men and women in the media house who light up audiences on TV and those behind the scenes that bring the news-like atmosphere to life.

Ruto previously hinted at overhauling the media house after his government takes power, stating that with it running as a commercial entity, the station based at Harry Thuku road, Nairobi would regain its glory as the great media house it was once known for across the country for its excellence in journalism, a move that began through ICT CS Eliud Owalo.

Attractive and Renowned Presenters

A news anchor is arguably a TV station's biggest selling point, and the more attractive or handsome-looking he or she is, the more the ratings and popularity shoot up. It's a similar case if that anchor is well-known by the masses.

KBC knew this too well and during its rebranding in 2021, it poached exciting talents who had previously been news anchors at rival TV stations. It also brought back veteran anchors who had steered KBC into the powerhouse it was in the past.

Two of them for instance, Shiksha Arora and Caren Kibbett, poached from K24, have been one of the biggest drivers of traffic on their end as their good looks have sent tongues wagging across the internet, with Kibbett herself going viral in the run-up to the elections in August 2022, bagging two awards thereafter as a result of also her good work ethic in sports journalism.

Veterans such as Tom Mboya, the late Catherine Kasavuli and Cynthia Nyamai among others contributed to former loyal fans of the station making a return. Unfortunately, the deaths of both Kasavuli and Badi Muhsin sent shockwaves across the country.

In a bid to continuously boost its popularity, the national broadcaster in late September 2022 released tough rules for those seeking to join as news anchors, among them being to be photogenic and have a good voice. 

Being photogenic means that one must look visually appealing or attractive in photos and film, one of the main tactics used by TV stations to drive traffic towards them during news bulletins. Having a good voice is another requirement as it keeps viewers loyal to the station.

World Cup

Another definitive moment for the station was the exclusive broadcasting rights to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar between November and December of that year. The free-to-air rights saw them broadcast a total of 28 matches on TV while the 12 KBC affiliate radio stations broadcast all 64 games.

The 2022 World Cup was considered one of KBC's examples of attempting to get back to the top as it was over the years when it was prominent for its coverage of national and international events.

However, in a digital era where the internet has become more accessible to many Kenyans across the country, KBC faced criticism from some of the football fans who resorted to alternative live-streaming websites and pay TV platforms. To be specific, stations such as Citizen TV, KTN News, and NTV among others usually have news bulletins broadcasted entirely on TV and digital media platforms.

"KBC got free-to-air terrestrial rights, not digital media rights. If you can afford to buy bundles to watch it on a smartphone on a computer, you can afford to pay for a subscription.