Mutua: My tenure at KFCB shaped Kenya’s modern media landscape

Ezekiel Mutua has revisited Kenya’s transition from analogue to digital broadcasting, describing the period as a complex phase marked by regulatory disputes, industry resistance, and major structural change in the media sector.

Speaking in a Tuesday interview on Radio Generation’s Wind Down Show, the Communications Specialist said the migration process forced regulators to rethink how broadcasting and content distribution were managed, warning that without intervention the sector risked being controlled by a small group of powerful media houses.

He noted that his involvement in the policy environment at the time attracted strong opposition, especially from media practitioners who questioned his shift from journalism-related circles into government regulation.

Mutua maintained that he was guided by long-term planning rather than public approval, arguing that reforms often require unpopular decisions before their benefits become visible.

He defended early government-backed advertising frameworks introduced during the transition, saying they were aimed at widening opportunities for smaller and emerging broadcasters struggling to access revenue.

According to him, the advertising space had become heavily skewed, with a few dominant players controlling most of the market, limiting competition and diversity in the industry.

He said the restructuring efforts were meant to create balance in the sector and support the growth of regional and community-based stations that were previously sidelined.

Going further, Mutua also reflected on his time at the Kenya Film Classification Board, noting that the institution gained greater prominence after digital migration as global streaming services entered the local market.

He said this shift introduced new regulatory challenges, particularly around content classification and cultural standards in a rapidly globalising media space.

The Communications Specialist defended the board’s approach, stating that international content ratings could not always be applied directly in Kenya without adjustments to local context.

Mutua acknowledged that his decisions often sparked public debate and legal disputes but insisted that they were made within the confines of the law and consistently upheld in court.

He concluded that Kenya’s media environment today reflects the outcomes of those early reforms, pointing to a more diverse broadcasting landscape and reduced concentration of ownership.