Media Council of Kenya — regulatory body that conducts media surveys, holds excellence awards, and develops journalism guidelines including for 2027 election coverage.
NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 3 – The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has asked media practitioners intending to vie for elective positions in the next General Election to formally notify the council. …
Audio By VocalizeThe Media Council of Kenya Deputy CEO Victor Bwire addresses journalists at Homa Bay High School during Nyanza Students Journalism Expo, on May 25, 2026. …
… During this year’s World Press Freedom Day commemoration, the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) called on journalists across the country to remain professional in their coverage while maintaining objectivity and fairness.The council’s Chief Executive Officer, David Omwoyo, said that a …
… It is therefore both timely and encouraging to see institutions such as the Media Council of Kenya bringing together journalists, researchers, civil society actors, technology stakeholders, regulators and media practitioners around the shared responsibility of protecting the info …
… ne Achieng May 16, 2026 02:14 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Audio By Vocalize Royal Media Services walked away with multiple awards at the 2026 Annual Media Excellence Awards by the Media Council of Kenya …
… Kabogo told the Senate the safeguards are in subsidiary regulations, industry guidelines, ethical codes and the regulatory interventions of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, the Media Council of Kenya, Kenya Film Classification Board and the State Department for Chi …
… Speaking at the Strathmore University during a forum organized by the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) to mark the World Press Freedom Day 2026 celebrations themed: ‘Shaping a Future of Peace,’ Justice Lenaola explained that closer engagement between the Judiciary and the media can h …
… New findings from the Media Council of Kenya's State of the Media 2025 report reveal a troubling perception of fairness in government coverage, even as the industry grapples with both external pressure and internal strain. …
Audio By VocalizeStandard Group PLC headquarters, Mombasa Road. [File, Standard] Kenyans continue to place their trust in The Standard Group PLC’s media platforms as a source of credible and reliable news, according to the latest Media Council of Kenya report. …
The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has instructed media practitioners intending to run for elective positions in the 2027 General Election to formally notify the council. MCK CEO David Omwoyo said the council is developing guidelines to protect journalists' political rights while ensuring fairness, as media platforms play a central role in political discourse.
The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has instructed media practitioners intending to run for elective positions in the 2027 General Election to formally notify the council. MCK CEO David Omwoyo said the council is developing guidelines to protect journalists' political rights while ensuring fairness, as media platforms play a central role in political discourse.
According to the Media Council of Kenya's State of the Media 2025 Survey, social media has become the leading primary source of news for Kenyans at 39 per cent, ahead of TV (31 per cent) and radio (21 per cent). However, when combined, traditional media still commands a lead as news sources, and 79 per cent of Kenyans continue to express trust in traditional media.
The Media Council of Kenya has launched the Students Journalism Expo initiative to encourage secondary school students to develop interest in media practice. The inaugural regional event in Nyanza saw at least 41 schools from six counties participate, with students showcasing work in news, sports, radio, podcasts, photography, and videography.
A Communication University of China professor told Kenyan journalists at a China-Kenya seminar in Beijing that constructive journalism—which provides context and solutions rather than only reporting problems and conflicts—makes news consumers more intelligent. She argued that while Kenya advocates for free media with fewer regulations, media literacy sessions are needed to combat fake news and disinformation.
A Pan-African Media Summit exposed the industrialisation of electoral information manipulation in Africa through deepfakes, AI-generated content, and algorithm-driven outrage designed to erode trust in democratic processes rather than persuade voters. East Africa, including Tanzania's recent elections, has already witnessed signs of coordinated information interference aimed at seeding doubt in electoral legitimacy.
Royal Media Services won several awards at the 2026 Annual Media Excellence Awards by the Media Council of Kenya, including a Lifetime Achievement Award for Managing Director Wachira Waruru and the Best Prime Time Production award. News Gang won in the Media Freedom category.
Information and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo told the Senate that Kenya has legal, regulatory and administrative safeguards to protect children from harm online, including subsidiary regulations, industry guidelines, ethical codes, and interventions by the Data Protection Commissioner, Media Council of Kenya, Kenya Film Classification Board and State Department for Children Services. Kabogo said these instruments are aligned to international treaties and UN guidance.
Supreme Court Judge Isaac Lenaola has urged stronger collaboration between the Judiciary and media to strengthen public trust and promote accurate information, emphasizing that both institutions share responsibility in countering misinformation and that the Judiciary will provide media summaries to enhance accurate reporting of court decisions.
World Press Freedom Day events in Kenya highlighted growing threats to press freedom and declining public trust in media, with the Media Council of Kenya's 2025 report showing 54 per cent of Kenyans perceive government reporting as unfair. The National Police Service pledged to improve its relationship with journalists ahead of the 2027 General Election.
According to the Media Council of Kenya's State of the Media 2025 report, The Standard Newspaper readership declined from 19.6 per cent in 2024 to 18 per cent in 2025, yet the publication remains one of Kenya's most widely read and trusted news sources. The report shows social media has become the primary news source for 39 per cent of Kenyans, while weekly newspaper readership has fallen to 13 per cent from 29 per cent in 2022.
Daily television viewership in Kenya fell to 57 percent in 2025 from 63 percent in 2024, as digital platforms and social media emerge as the leading news source for Kenyans, though TV remains influential during prime time (7pm–10pm), with 73 percent of viewers tuning in during those hours.
According to Kenya's State of the Media 2025 Survey Report, 79 percent of Kenyans express some level of trust in the media, showing improvement in confidence; however, 46 percent believe media coverage of government is unfair, and 28 percent cite misinformation as their top concern.
According to the Media Council of Kenya's 2025 State of the Media Report, 39% of Kenyans used social media as their main news source in 2025, with TV at 31% and radio declining to 21% from 26% in 2024. TV viewership also dropped from 63% in 2024 to 57% in 2025, while 34% of respondents occasionally used AI platforms for news.
Citizen TV remains Kenya's most-watched station with 56 per cent audience share, but social media has overtaken television as the leading source of news, accounting for 27 per cent of consumption compared to TV's 25 per cent, according to the 2025 State of the Media Report Survey.
The Standard's editorial says the media industry in Kenya is in crisis, with 90 per cent of outlets unable to pay salaries and over 2,000 journalists losing jobs in five years. The Standard Group claims the government owes it Sh1.2 billion in pending advertising bills, which it characterizes as a systematic attack on press freedom.
On World Press Freedom Day, the Media Council of Kenya and media stakeholders called for improved professional standards and journalist welfare, with the MCK CEO noting that unpaid or underpaid journalists cannot protect press freedom and urging government, media owners, and investors to ensure fair pay and favorable working conditions.
An opinion piece argues that while Kenya's 2010 Constitution promised press freedom, the reality has been more complex, with overt violence against journalists declining but non-legislative pressures—particularly government control of advertising revenue—becoming subtle but widespread threats to editorial independence.
The National Assembly is adopting cloud-based technologies to modernize its broadcasting systems and enhance live coverage of House proceedings following a benchmarking mission to the NAB Show 2026 in Las Vegas. The delegation also plans to use insights from the summit to inform an ongoing review of Kenya's media laws and regulatory frameworks.