In Social Media Era, Here's How Much Time Kenyans Spend Watching TV: Report
A new report by the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) shows that some members of the public would spend some time in their fast-paced day in front of the TV
Marvin Chege 
In an era where social media has emerged as the most dominant form of media in Kenya, it might surprise you to discover that there are Kenyans who still watch television (TV). What, has someone told you of late that mainstream media is dying and that social media is the new media?
Whereas social media has grown to be a main source of information, news included, a new report by the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) shows that some members of the public would spend some time in their fast-paced day in front of the TV, mainly to keep themselves updated on the day's news.
In the State of Media Survey Report 2024 released on Thursday, May 15, it was revealed that social media has emerged as the predominant source of news for most Kenyans, indicating a shift in consumption habits and the increasing prominence of digital platforms ('whisper' including Viral Tea).
Statistically, 37 per cent of Kenyans used social media as their main source of news, followed by 31 percent who relied on TV. 26 per cent relied on radio to stay up to date and the rest included family/friends/colleagues at 3 per cent, online news websites at 2 per cent and newspapers at 1 per cent.
Social media apps on a phone. /SEARCH ENGINE LAND
"Nevertheless, television and radio remain the to-go-to channels for news dissemination, whereas newspapers, online news websites, and interpersonal networks are comparatively less utilised as primary news sources," the report read in part.
Television, however, remains the most consumed medium, with 26 per cent of respondents reporting consuming it in the past week. Social media closely followed at 24 per cent, while radio accounts for 23 per cent of usage.
The report, however, noted that the figure on television was a decline from the 2023 survey, which indicated that 33 per cent of Kenyans primarily consumed television content.
In terms of time spent watching TV, 34 per cent of Kenyans said they typically watch TV for 1 to 2
hours a day, with 26 per cent of respondents watching TV for 3 to 4 hours. 24 per cent tune in for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
"Nearly 84% of Kenyans spend under 5 hours a day watching television," adds the report, indicative of Kenyans losing the desire to watch TV as years go by.
60 per cent watch TV between the hours of 7.00 pm and 10.00 pm each day, more than at any other period. This is where the 7 pm and 9 pm prime time TV bulletins lie, and arguably, this is where TV stations enjoy the biggest chunk of viewership.
Radio
The majority of the respondents, accounting for 28 per cent, reported listening to the radio for 1–2 hours per day, while 24 per cent of participants indicated they listen to the radio for 3–4 hours. A further 19 per cent of respondents listen to the radio for 30 minutes to 1 hour each day.
58 per cent of Kenyans listen to the radio between 6.00 am and 10.00 am each day, more than at any other time. This makes it a crucial time for breakfast radio shows, which define the popularity and listenership numbers of some of the biggest radio stations in the country.
"Radio remains a significant medium for daily engagement among Kenyans, with most individuals allocating between one and four hours to radio listening in a typical day," added the report.
Top TV and Radio Stations
TV
In light of this, various TV and radio stations have been battling tooth and nail for the title of 'most popular guy/girl in the room'. Yet again, Citizen TV is the most popular TV station in Kenya, watched by 75 per cent weekly and 53 per cent overall.
In terms of weekly popularity, NTV is at 31 per cent and K24 TV is at 28 per cent. KTN Home, which the likes of KTN News were merged into, attracted 24 per cent of viewers per week, while Inooro TV is watched by 17 per cent of respondents.
Overall, while Citizen TV reigned supreme, it towered over its sister station, Inooro TV, with a paltry 6 per cent. Both TV stations are under the Royal Media Services (RMS).
K24 and NTV tied in 3rd place with a rank of 5 per cent, while Maisha TV took 5th place with a rank of 4 per cent. DSTV, KTN Home and Ramogi TV tied with a rank of 3 per cent.
"From the respondents, Citizen TV emerged as the most watched TV station at 53%, an increase from 35% in the 2023 survey. Inooro TV came in second at 6%, K24 and NTV were tied at 5%, with both dropping from 11% and 7% in the last year. The new entrant into the space was DSTV," read the report in part.
Radio
Radio Citizen was ranked as the most listened to radio station in 2024 at 12 per cent, followed by Classic 105 at 7 per cent.
The other radio stations were: Radio Jambo (6 per cent), Inooro FM (5 per cent), Kameme FM (5 per cent), Milele FM (4 per cent), Radio Maisha (4 per cent), Radio 47 (4 per cent) and Ramogi FM (3 per cent).
Weekly, Radio Citizen is the most listened-to station, with 29 per cent of respondents reporting it as their preferred choice. This is followed by Radio Jambo (24%) and Radio Maisha (20%), which also command significant audience shares.
Other stations with notable listenership include Milele FM (14%), Classic 105 FM (12%), Inooro (11%), Kameme (11%), Radio 47 (9%), KISS 100 (8%), Hot 96 (7%), and Kass FM (7%).
"This is a significant positive change compared to 2023, where Radio Citizen led with a 22% share, Radio Jambo followed at 14%, and Radio Maisha came in third at 11%," adds the report.
