DTT in Kenya officially launched

President Mwai Kibaki officially launched DVB-T based Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) broadcasting in Kenya at a ceremony in the grounds of the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) on Wednesday the 9th December.
The President observed, “We must use the expanded broadcasting space to build on our national unity and expand on the development agenda. Let us always remember that the expanded media freedom must never be used to undermine our sense of nationhood as underscored in our national anthem, may we dwell in unity, peace and liberty.”
He went on to say that “There are many Kenyan investors who are waiting to be allocated frequencies. We have applications for 60 TV licenses and more than 150 for FM radio. Currently this demand cannot be met. With the migration to digital broadcasting, it will now be possible to award new licenses, increasing choice and giving more room to a broader democratic space.”
He noted that the Government had set a deadline for full migration to DTT by the year 2012 despite the one set by the International Telecommunications Union of 2015.
The launch, which marked phase one of transition to Digital Television Broadcasting, covers Nairobi and its environs, among them Kajiado, Machakos, Naivasha and Muranga.
Source: Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
Item added: 14th December 2009