The Standard Group has announced a merger between KTN Home and KTN News, which will run under the unified brand KTN. Indeed, things have literally gone full circle here and now KTN Home is back to its original brand, coming weeks after KTN News, the news-only channel, was shut down as Standard Group moved to cut on operational costs.
This rebranding was disclosed 2nd December 2024 the management, led by Standard Group CEO Marion Gathoga-Maina, at a time when the media house is facing financial difficulties in the face of shifting market dynamics. Standard Group says the merger is aimed at delivering a broader and more integrated content offering to its audience, though it is not lost on observers that this is more of a move to reduce the company from bleeding cash by letting go off some employees.
“Since 1990, KTN has been a beloved part of your lives, growing into a heritage brand cherished by millions. From hard-hitting news to captivating entertainment, we’ve been your trusted companion, amplifying voices and shaping stories that matter,” said the company in a statement. “Today, we’re excited to announce the merger of KTN Home and KTN News into one unified brand: KTN. This bold move combines the best of both worlds — your favourite family entertainment and trusted, fact-based journalism — all under one roof.”
In 2015, the Standard Group launched KTN News. It was picking up from K24, which attempted the all-round news model but failed miserably and reverted to normal programming. During the launch, KTN News had big ambitions of becoming the CNN of Kenya. But high costs and low advertising revenue constrained growth. Also, the new station started cannibalising its big sister, creating an almost zero-sum affair as the two seemed to share the same cake.
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Founded in 1990, KTN was the first privately owned television station to be established in the country. This pioneering effort marked a significant shift in the media landscape, providing a platform for diverse voices and perspectives in a previously state-controlled environment.
Over the years, KTN became known for its innovative programming and for nurturing many prominent journalists in the country. At some point it was the leading TV station in the country as more urban population acquired TV sets in the 1990’s and at the turn of the millenium. Its focus on the urbanite viewer was challenged in a way by the launch of NTV, which went for its lunch. As they fought for this segment, Citizen TV, which had struggled under the Moi government, was scheming for the mass market in the villages and low-income areas in towns.
Soon KTN and NTV were left playing catch up and as they did, Citizen TV meticulously started winning over the urban audience as well. About five years later, it leads the overall TV market in Kenya with over 50% of the viewership.
A merger of KTN and KTN News may sound sweet in corporate strategy, but Standard Group needs a rethink of its TV business to align it with changing audience tastes and preferences. Viewers are looking for comprehensive programming and analytical coverage of events. Live coverage will also be a key revenue earner and audience attraction. But first, the new (old) KTN should embark on recruiting more viewers.
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