Kenya Media Sustainability Index (MSI)
April 24, 2013
About the MSI
IREX designed the MSI to measure the strength and viability of any country's media sector. The MSI considers all the factors that contribute to a media system—the quality of journalism, effectiveness of management, the legal environment supporting freedom of the press, and more—to arrive at scores on a scale ranging between 0 and 4. These scores represent the strength of the media sector components and can be analyzed over time to chart progress (or regression) within a country. Additionally, countries or regions may be compared to one another. IREX currently conducts the MSI in 80 countries, and began studying Africa in 2006.
MSI Overview | Africa | Asia | Europe & Eurasia | Middle East & North Africa
Download Complete Kenya Chapter (PDF): 2012 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2006/7
MSI Kenya-2012 Introduction
Overall Country Score: 2.24
At first glance, Kenya has one of the most sophisticated media sectors in Africa. Kenyan media companies, with long and distinguished histories of providing news, have developed into commercially successful companies. Kenya is one of the few Africa countries where market research and audience statistics are available and used with effect by the media.
However, Kenya is also troubled by recent political turmoil that hampered the work of independent media and threatened to overturn the media development achieved over decades. Corruption and economic problems plague the practice of journalism. Furthermore, the robust media scene that one finds in urban areas lies in stark contrast to rural areas, where state radio and one or two other stations are likely to be available to residents there.
Fortunately, dramatic changes for the better are afoot for freedom of expression and a free press now that the new Kenyan constitution, enacted in 2010, is in place. The new constitution contains a more thorough defense of these freedoms than the old one, and exceptions where the state can curb these freedoms are provided for in a less severe manner.
The Parliament has now embarked on amending all media laws and packaged them into omnibus legislation known as the Media Bill. In particular, lawmakers have targeted for change laws that have been on the books for years and contravene the provisions of the current constitution. Journalists are eagerly awaiting the outcome, which will determine the future of media in Kenya.
However, certain provisions in the law persist, and appear likely to do so, that impact the media’s sustainability. High taxes on media equipment and materials used in printing remain in place, and efforts by media owner associations to lobby the government for a reduction have not yielded positive results.
