Kenya's Overall Media Expenditure Drops By 7%- 2023 Kenya Media Landscape Report| Reelanalytics
Kenya’s media landscape is as vibrant as the country’s ebb and flow in economy, politics, and technological shifts. As we look back in 2023, we witness adaptation and innovation in resilience.
Kenya’s media scene morphs into a reflection of socio-political and economic changes. The introduction of Radio 47 in March 2023, a Swahili national broadcast emphasizes the progressive nature of radio. This influenced notable presenter movements to Cape Media including Alex Mwakideu, Evah Mwalili, Emmanuel Mwashumbe, and others from various media houses.
Advertising Shifts
Overall advertising expenditure in 2023 decreased by 7% compared to 2022. Betting & Gambling, Media and Communication sectors downsized their media investment (7%, 20%, and 29% respectively) driving a decline in TV spends.
MultiChoice was the spender in 2023, contributing 8% of the total ad spends in the year; despite the company cutting its advertising budget by 24% in 2023. Five of the top ten spenders were Betting & Gambling companies; BetWay, Lotto, Hearts Games, Tatua, and Shabiki.
Radio Advertising Activity
Despite brilliant media evolution and technological advancements, radio still stands as one of the most reliable and widely utilized forms of media. This is credited to its, affordability, effectiveness, and localness.18% of radio listeners tune in to Radio Citizen as the top radio station's audiences peak during popular breakfast shows.
In 2022, radio advertising expenditure had dropped by KES 4.8 billion. 2023’s silver lining in radio advertising increased by 5%. Radio's uptake in betting and gambling, and finance accounted for 44% of total expenditure.
Kameme FM was the most active station in the year followed by a total of 62, 276 ad count- betting being the top sector on the radio with Lotto, Tatua, and Heart Games Activities. Kass FM recorded the highest spending at 4,536,266,540 KES while Radio Jambo followed closely at 3,819,721,300 KES.
TV Advertising
36% of TV viewers reported watching Citizen TV making it the most-watched channel in 202. This viewership was attributed to eye-catching programs across the week, targeting all age groups.
Advertising spending on TV in 2023 declined by 14% compared to 2022, due to budget reconsiderations in TV from Betting & Gambling, Media, and Finance (the top three industries in 2022 with a cumulative SOV of 59%).
Personal care was the top sector on Citizen TV with an SOV of 19%, whereas Safaricom was the top spender on this channel with a 7% ad spend share. Personal Care was the only sector among the top six that increased their advertising spends.
Print Advertising
The Economic Survey 2023 reported dwindling print media circulations. Seismic media changes signify the move to digital devices as the average number of daily online print visitors increased by 11.9% to 4.7 million in 2022. Daily newspaper circulation decreased from 55, 670,000 copies to 46,774,000 in 2022. Undeterred by the decrease in circulation, the advertising expenditure on print in 2023 increased by 14%, linked to increased spending by State bodies and Betting companies (32% and 610% respectively).
SportPesa Group was the top spender in 2023, accounting for 24% of the total ad expenditure.
Out-of-Home Advertising
Out of Home (OOH) advertising expenditure in 2023 dropped by 3%, based on a 99.6% decrease in political campaign spending after the 2022 General Elections.
The finance and Beverage sectors were the top two spending sectors on this platform at a 17% and 16% share of voice respectively. EABL was the top spender on this platform with a majority of the billboards located in Nairobi.
Media Trends Expectations For 2024
• Decline in advertising Spends
In a recent twist of events, the Kenyan Government withdrew all advertisements from privately-owned radio and TV stations, directing that all government stations exclusively run on Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).
Under the new directive, all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) under the national government, including independent commissions and public universities, are mandated to advertise through the state-owned broadcaster.
This is a crippling blow to private media owners who largely rely on state enterprises for advertising revenue and whose large-scale impact is yet to unravel.
• The Rise Of AI
The adoption of AI in day-to-day operations for media professionals across content, data analysis, and generating brand insights is sprouting. Brands can scale extensive consumer data to drive hyper-personalization and action. We’re already seeing AI creative-driven strategies, it would be interesting to see the long-term use cases and impact of the technology.
• Digital Screens Come- Up
In 2022, billboards were the most utilized OOH asset owing to their vast distribution network country-wide. As digital screens pop up in high-foot traffic areas, brands vy for strategic brand visibility making them a convenient, affordable option for promotions and campaigns.
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