Kenyans Seek To Raise Ksh254K To Save Popular Radio Station

Kenyans online have appealed to their peers to donate up to Ksh254,000 to rescue Radio 254, an online radio station dedicated to playing purely Kenyan music.

A video seen by Viral Tea surfaced on Friday, January 27 showing the premises which hosted the station completely empty and the signboard with Radio 254's logo, as compared to what it was with radio equipment and its variety of presenters interviewing some of the country's most popular musicians.

The radio station at the time announced that it had closed for an unspecified period pending future plans, which led to an outpouring of emotional comments on social media.

"Our studios will be permanently closed until further notice. Kindly bear with us as we seek a new way forward. Thank you for your support and apologies for any inconveniences caused," Radio 254 stated.

A logo of Radio 254 station. /FILE

The online radio station won over the hearts of many Kenyans for its dedication to playing Kenyan music only at a time when music from other foreign countries has been taking over airwaves, meaning an announcement such as that broke the hearts of thousands of its fans.

Sonia Pinto, one of the station's presenters, shared on Thursday, January 2 more details of the financial woes and how it has been making its revenue.

"We are trying to push Kenyan music out there to the world, it being online, you're able to access it from anywhere it is. We need your help, we have not been able to sustain ourselves...and in order for us to be able to continue doing what we are doing, we decided to reach out to everybody just to tell everybody how it has been hard now.

"Radio 254 is a non-profit organisation, we get our money from well-wishers, sometimes through advertising and even with advertising it's been quite hectic just to be able to get people to come on board," she revealed.

Pinto praised the station for its great agenda and amazing conversations and how it has been special to her in terms of growing as a presenter who has interviewed the best personalities.

She lamented however that those who have been pushing for Kenyan music to be played more often are nowhere to be seen.

"We are the only radio station that's trying to push with what we have and trying to package it in a way that you guys can see that every artist needs to be heard, Kenyan music needs to be heard. We need to be pushing this agenda altogether and that's why we need everybody to be able to just come on board and help," she added.

Radio 254 has since started a funds drive seeking to raise Ksh254,000 to afford a new space to continue its operations. You can access it here.

"So far we have interviewed more than 1,500 Kenyan musicians and creatives. Till December we had a rented space but unfortunately, we couldn't afford it anymore.

"We need your support to keep the radio running as we work on a business model that would help us sustain ourselves in the long run. Any contribution would be much appreciated," stated the station on the funds drive.

Spot checks by Viral Tea revealed that so far, Ksh60,105 has been raised, which is 23 per cent towards its goal, with Kenyans encouraged to donate through mobile money and online platforms.

The popular radio station is seeking a studio space to interview artists, offer industrial attachments, offer amateur show opportunities, create employment and a way to connect with the Kenyan artist played through them. Since 2021, it has run a studio space out of pocket with support from the occasional well-wishers who donated to them.

"We however failed to come up with a sustainable revenue model that would allow us to keep the operation going. We tried events and ended up in serious debt.

"Times are hard for everyone but if you are in a position to help us get back and running we would really appreciate it," appealed Radio 254 on Saturday, January 28.

#keepradio254alive #playkemusic @Radio254Online ???????? pic.twitter.com/c51YtNEBuK — Sonia (@SoniaPinto_) February 2, 2023

About Radio 254

The online platform seeks to highlight the already existing world-class Kenyan music and content locally and abroad. By simply tuning into Radio 254 from anywhere globally, listeners can listen to Kenyan music and conversations that they can relate to.

Currently, Radio 254’s listeners are 70% Kenyan, 10% African, and 20% international, showing the growing interest in Kenyan music both in Kenya and internationally.

Unlike traditional commercial radio stations, Radio 254 was built with the sole purpose of playing Kenyan content for the world while helping Kenyan creatives. As a registered non-profit organization, the platform’s goal is to bridge the gap and offer a much-needed platform for artists and curators.

At Radio 254, journalists and creatives from all walks of life and parts of Kenya are allowed to try their hand at hosting radio shows and news, presenting and sharing their deejay mixes, playlists, and articles. By giving opportunities, the goal is to foster and grow the existing entertainment scene in Kenya.

"Many online radio stations have been established in Kenya. However, none has ever been committed to playing 100% Kenyan music and reached the heights Radio 254 has with over 3 million listeners worldwide and the recent entry into Tune-in's Directory.

"It will be interesting to see if Radio 254 will continue to be the number one online radio station in Kenya or impact Kenya’s entertainment," it describes on its official website.

The appeal comes on the back of difficult times affecting Kenyan media caused by financial difficulties and digital disruption that has forced media houses to initiate mass firings on journalists.