Communication Authority Director General Francis Wangusi speaks at the function.
Pay TV firm MultiChoice is celebrating 20 years of operation in Kenya. The company has been a major contributor in the Kenyan entertainment sector since 1995 and has been hailed for pioneering the growth of the sector, having contributed Ksh16 billion to last year’s Growth Domestic Product through DStv and GOtv brands.
MultiChoice is a major contributor to the money paid to the local artists, producers and their directors. Speaking early today MultiChoice Regional Director Stephen Isaboke said the company has come a long way and continues to play a role in promoting production of local content and championing digitisation.
Having contributed a total of Ksh2.3 billion worth of taxes in the last financial year, the pay TV company encourages Kenyans to take advantage of digitization to produce local contents. “Our aim is to give back to the Kenyan people. It is high time we did our local content, something which we can be identified with,” added Mr Isaboke.
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According to a survey conducted by Deloitte in Kenya, MultiChoice was the biggest player in entrenching digital migration that saw analogue TV signal switched off by June 2015. “Over the years we have expanded our offering across various platforms such as satellite, Digital Terrestrial Television (DDT) and mobile to cater for the diverse needs of Kenyan households,” Mr Isaboke said.
Mr Francis Wangusi, the director of Communications Authority, called for media liberalisation and challenged practitioners to overtake countries like Nigeria and South Africa. “With the millions already spent, thus making MultiChoice the biggest participant, I call upon the media and local artistes to use this opportunity and produce best local programmes to enable our country compete with countries like Nigeria and South Africa,” he said.
MultiChoice has invested Ksh3 billion to help create opportunities for Kenyan artistes and nurture young talents in the entertainment market. Mr Isaboke said Ksh1 billion shillings has also been set aside for the construction of MultiChoice East Africa hub in Nairobi as a long term commitment to the market and a platform to offer more innovation.
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