Kenya’s Standard Group will unveil a new radio station at the end of February, writes Dennis Itumbi.
Already, the group that owns Standard Newspapers and the Kenya Television Network (KTN), has begun hiring and presenters from rival stations in Nairobi.
According to two of the new recruits who will report for duty in the next seven days, the station will broadcast in English and target middle income earners.
The name for the new station could not yet be established, but a senior reporter within the group confirmed the development. He said: "We have already been briefed on the issue, and all I can tell you is that the test signal will be heard starting mid-month and by the time March starts we (the Standard Group) will be having a new radio station."
The frequency was acquired from Radio Simba, which was broadcasting in Swahili to rural youth. according to a senior editor.
Robert Kiptoo, a former news editor of Radio Simba, said: "The management and owners have reached a deal with Standard Group and the frequency ownership has been transferred, in fact staff at Simba Radio have been forced to go on leave, but we are still negotiating a take-over plan for hard-working staff."
Meanwhile, a celebrated Kenyan radio presenter and TV actress is among over 40 people who died in a fire in a Nairobi sSupermarket.
Angel Wainana, who stars as a sergeant in a local action series aired by NTV (NATION TELEVISION) had gone to the downtown Nakumatt Supermarket for her normal shopping when the fire started. She managed to call her younger sister before being burnt to death on Friday.
Wainana was also a presenter at Ghetto Radio that serves the populace of Nairobi's eight slums. Coincidentally, another radio station called Ghetto FM was destroyed in a separate fire last week.
