Background

KBC English service is a pioneer national radio station in Kenya. It was started in 1928 as a channel for giving colonial settlers updates from their country. In 1931, it was transformed from a social club to a government mouthpiece aimed at keeping the empire together. In 1961, the colonial government was not in a position to maintain English and other African broadcasting services it had introduced. It therefore declared these broadcasting services into a self-sustaining Parastatal called Kenya Broadcasting Corporation.

In 1964,upon the independence of Kenya, the whole of Kenya Broadcasting Corporation was nationalized into Voice of Kenya, a government department in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting with the objective of educating, informing and entertaining.

In 1989, in order to increase accountability, Voice of Kenya reverted to a state corporation-Kenya Broadcasting Corporation.

The 1990s were years of liberalization, with a broader operator base for commercialization of radio broadcasts. While continuing to provide comprehensive range of programming in the categories of information, education and music, English Service refocused its programming to be trendy and commercially viable.


Broadcast Hours

KBC English service carries out active transmissions for 19 hours while packaging 5 hours of continuous music to achieve 24 hour daily Transmissions.


Opportunities for Advertisers and Listeners

KBC English service offers unprecedented range of programming for the listener and advertiser as follows:

• News, News headlines, Current Affairs, Business news and sports
• Commercial material and services of all kinds including sponsored programmes, product and services advertisements, announcements, DJ mentions, Lease of programme links, feeds and airtime to clientele
• Music, musical shows and bridge cuts
• Pre-recorded programmes, inforbytes, station and programme promotions and live programme presentations
• Live Outside Broadcasts, local and International programme links and signal feeds

Vast Audience

KBC English service is received everywhere in Kenya, reaching a vast audience of approximately 8 million in its medium wave and FM frequencies. This makes the station an attractive proposition for the advertiser and listener.

KBC English Service targets the social-economic class of fully qualified professionals, managers, government officers, lecturers, secondary school teachers and large-scale farmers. It also targets the class that includes middle and Junior managers, Senior supervisors and clerks, qualified technicians and nurses, Primary school teachers and medium-sized farm managers. Its also targets mechanics, carpenters, part-time technicians, on-training graduates and untrained teachers, Junior clerks and owners of small farms.

In terms of the age bracket, the station targets 18-35 as its primary audience and 35-49 as its secondary group while 9-18 year bracket is also targeted in specialized public-responsibility programming.


Programme Types and Formats

English Service has developed a strategic scheduling practice that accommodates programming formats to suit every demographic and psycho-graphic group.

Formats vary from Breakfast co-presented infotainment soul music-driven shows, Mid-morning African golden music with chit-chats and audience call-in and SMS, Mid-day and lunch-time melodies and instrumentals, Kenyan pop music discussions and count-down afternoon shows, Easy listening sundowner classics, late night Love ballads, news, Talk shows, R&B, drama, features, Outside Broadcasts (OB) and programme feeds, Children and youth variety shows, Women, disability environment and legal programmes as well as special programmes during national and International public days and celebrations.


Competitive Advantages

• KBC English Service targets a wide and economically viable audience range of AB, C1 and C2
• KBC English service signals reach the entire country, giving the advertiser a wider reach to any demographic segment of the market at the appropriate time.
• English service is the only medium that is capable of reaching almost the entire Kenyan population with a single English broadcast.
• The station adapts comprehensive and diversified programme styles that appeal to all categories of listeners
• The station boasts of well-trained and seasoned radio personalities
• The station has unique and resilient music sampling and categorization strategies i.e. Sundowner, Mid-Day melodies and Late Date
• KBC English Service is a well established pioneer brand in Kenya that has earned audience trust and loyalty

Listenership

KBC English service serves approximately 8 million national listeners. The number is growing as the service continues to respond to the changing needs, interests and life styles of our dynamic listeners.

For advertising and sponsorship details, please call our Sales Department on Tel.254-2-221360.