By Adam Wakefield
Mbogo, based in Nairobi, has worked as a journalist for over 10 years. Having previously worked for Business Daily before becoming a freelancer, Mbogo now oversees the MT. KENYA STAR, which according to him, is different from Kenya’s urban-orientated press.
“The mainstream newspapers are expensive, costing KSH60 [approximately R8.50], while MT. KENYA STAR costs KSH30 [approximately R4.25]. The national newspapers largely cover the politics and news that excites from rural Kenya - like homicides and political fights - and rarely do they cover development news,” Mbogo says.
“MT. KENYA STAR, for instance, dedicates eight pages for local news and 90% of this is development news, information that people can use to improve their living standards. Mainstream newspapers are largely sold in urban centres so only the elites and some urbanites can afford to buy them.”
The MT. KENYA STAR works with a network of freelance vendors who distribute the newspapers to the villages located in the region, playing a crucial role in keeping local citizens informed and educated.
As the price of the newspaper is a relevant consideration for consumers, so it is for publishers. One of two major challenges facing regional newspapers in the country is the cost of printing, which Mbogo says is “very high”, with the second being staying above local politics.
“County governments, for instance, will give you business if you support the governor, and withdraw business when you write a story about the governor’s competitor. There is a lot of self-censorship to try win business from the government,” Mbogo says.
“Though regional, we are building a profile that puts us above the manipulation of regional politics, to attract business from corporates and national bodies, which would then mean we are less exposed to local politics and can maintain a level of editorial independence.”
Regarding editorial independence across Kenya’s media landscape, Mbogo says he’d give the industry a “C”.
Amidst the different political and economic forces that push against the Kenyan media industry, Mbogo says a publication cannot even begin to talk about success until they address the demands of Kenyan readers.
These are adhering to international best practise, ranging from the quality of paper used to the quality of the editorial content.
Looking forward, as elsewhere across the world, Mbogo believes that the future will see a migration of local newspaper readership to online platforms. With regional newspapers already facing economic pressures, the shift to online could see a fundamental realignment within the Kenya media market.
“I would say this: in the next 10 years, about 90% of Kenyans will read newspapers online, on mobile, and other platforms,” Mbogo suggests.
“Publishing in Kenya will shift to online platforms completely by then, so we are likely to see the death of the printed newspaper.”
What this might mean for the country’s political landscape, let alone the lay of the land of its broader media environment, is anyone’s guess.
The only certainty of change is uncertainty, and how Kenya’s print industry deals with the challenge of online will be intriguing to watch over the coming years.