Several Kenyan media players are broadening their reach beyond the Nairobi market, with print and broadcast products going national, writes Dennis Itumbi for journalism.co.za.
Radio Africa's Nairobi Star is going national under a new banner, The Star. The first edition being sold outside Nairobi was accompanied by a free DVD containing an investigative piece on rising crime in Nairobi.
At the same time, the group – owners of four radio stations – began testing a signal for its Entertainment Television Station that starts next week.
The new TV has been running its signal with a promise "to transform the way TV is viewed and becoming the channel of natural choice".
Two senior editors within the station confirmed that the station will be called Kiss TV. Radio Africa also owns Kiss FM, Classic Fm, Smooth Fm and Jambo Fm.
The launch of the TV station will make it the only other media house besides the Nation Media Group with outlets in all media.
Meanwhile, Regional Reach Services, owners of Kameme FM and K24, have announced they will be going national starting next month.
Kameme FM has been operational for the last six years but its broadcasts have mainly been in Nairobi and Central Province.
K24 will be marking its second birthday later in the year and a move to make it available nationally is a great stride for the young station that became the first all news channel in Kenya.
