Media Council Ranks Viral Tea Among Most Popular News Websites
The platform beat renowned players such as Ghafla and Mpasho
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
Leading Gen Z digital platform Viral Tea has been recognised amongst Kenya's most popular news websites by the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), four years since its establishment.
According to the State of Media Survey Report 2024 released on Thursday, May 15, Viral Tea was grouped in the 'Others' category at 2 per cent readership, a rise from the 0.4 per cent readership in 2023.
There is some significance as the platform beat renowned players such as Ghafla and Mpasho, which garnered a 1 per cent readership compared to 3 per cent and 7 per cent respectively in 2023.
Viral Tea's founder and editor-in-chief, Marvin Chege, expressed elation on the platform's increase in readership between 2023 and 2024, acknowledging it as a testament to the Viral Team's dedication and the unwavering support from its readers.
Screengrab of the State of Media Survey Report 2024 ranking the most visited news websites in Kenya. /MEDIA COUNCIL OF KENYA
"Since our inception in February 2021, we've aimed to deliver timely, relevant, and engaging content that resonates with our audience, particularly the youth. Being recognised by the MCK, an independent, national institution established to regulate and develop the media sector in Kenya, is another huge milestone ticked," he remarked, reminiscing about the far we have come in the four years.
"Our commitment to innovation and storytelling has also earned us a spot among Feedspot's top 20 news blogs and websites in Kenyan politics. This recognition places us alongside established media houses like NTV, Nation, and Citizen Digital."
He added that the achievements underscore our mission to provide authentic and impactful journalism. "We're grateful for the trust our readers place in us and remain committed to delivering news that informs, educates, and inspires. Thank you for being part of our journey. Here's to reaching even greater heights together," he concluded.
The study targeted Kenyans aged 15 and above and included all 47 counties across eight regions, with the survey sample proportionally distributed nationwide.
Findings revealed that social media has become the main source of news for most Kenyans, highlighting a shift in media consumption trends and the growing influence of digital platforms.
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.
Viral Tea writes original news and informative articles covering local news, politics, entertainment, business and sports as well as unique features curated to satisfy the needs of the general public, especially the youth (the Millennials and Gen Z).
Demographics from Google Analytics and Similarweb, among others, indicate that Viral Tea is among the most-preferred news websites among users aged 18-39 who consume content in real-time, a shift from mainstream, where Kenyans had to wait for prime-time news bulletins to stay informed.
In September 2023, Viral Tea became the first digital native media house in Kenya to have a segment dedicated exclusively to aviation. Currently, it is the only digital platform in the country to have such a segment.
From this, we have broken major aviation news as well as provided evergreen content regarding how aircraft systems work, and how helicopters are used during events, among others, particularly those that have caught the eye of Kenyans.
Our articles have moreover been published in easy-to-understand language and details derived from research via respected aviation news websites and the internet, and are catchy enough for our readers to consume as much information as possible and be 'in-the-know' about aeroplanes
We have recently rebranded the segment to Sky Tea, mixing aviation journalism with our typical Viral Tea flair, aiming to serve turbulence with a side of truth.
In 2023, Viral Tea was ranked second-best among 14 online media platforms nominated for the awards in the 'Online Media of the Year' category during the Pride of Kenya Awards (POKA).
