On 25 January 2000, the newly-launched Citizen radio was ordered to stop broadcasting after the recently-established Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) cancelled its frequency licences. The radio was broadcast in four regions of the country namely Nyambene, Rongai, Nyahururu and Nanyuki. The CCK accused the Royal Media, the parent company of Citizen radio and television, […]
On 25 January 2000, the newly-launched Citizen radio was ordered to stop
broadcasting after the recently-established Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) cancelled its frequency licences. The radio was broadcast in four regions of the country namely Nyambene, Rongai, Nyahururu and Nanyuki.
The CCK accused the Royal Media, the parent company of Citizen radio and television, of illegally shifting one of its transmitters from the authorised location.
The company was further accused of defaulting on payment of 10.2 million Kenya shillings (approx. US$145,798) for the frequencies in 1998 and 1999.
The CCK also accused the media firm of using unauthorised equipment. “We are still watching them and the TV station could also be switched off,” CCK Public Relation Manager Mutua Muthusi said.
Royal Media was one of the fist privately run media stations to be allowed to broadcast outside Nairobi.The station’s owner, S.K. Macharia, had fought a protracted legal battle to be allocated broadcast frequencies to compete with the government-controlled Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).
Karanja Njoroge, general manager of Royal Media, insisted that the radio and TV stations were operating normally. “We are on air as normal and everything is okay,” said Njoroge.
Muthusi said frequencies could not be partially withdrawn and the commission had to cancel Royal Media’s entire allocation.
A commission letter to Royal Media said, “As brought to your attention and to which you admitted, you have installed transmitters and associated accessories at various sites without obtaining type approval certificates of your equipment as required by the Act. This is therefore to inform you that
your frequency licences are hereby withdrawn. Consequently you should cease further broadcasting on all of the assigned frequencies.”
The letter, signed by an individual named Odongo, warns Royal Media that criminal proceedings would be brought against the company for breaching the Kenya Communications Act.
