Digital switch to open new doors for local film producers

• The switch will allow several TV channels to be streamed through one frequency. This means that Kenyans will have a wide array of channels to choose from.
• The government, through the Ministry of Information and the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), is advocating for local content to make up 40 per cent of the programmes aired, meaning that there will be a huge demand.
• Local producers on the other hand say while digital broadcasting will offer more potential for market, the greatest challenge in creating programming content is heavy and unregulated taxation from the local and central government and institutions.
• A survey done by Strategic PR on behalf of the Kenya Film Commission in 2010 recommended that the government regulates Kenya’s film industry to enable it create more jobs and become competitive in external markets.

Kenyan film makers have been challenged to produce enough local content to satisfy the anticipated high demand once the country shifts to digital broadcasting.

The switch will allow several TV channels to be streamed through one frequency. This means that Kenyans will have a wide array of channels to choose from.

ALSO READ: The looming digital switch

The government, through the Ministry of Information and the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), is advocating for local content to make up 40 per cent of the programmes aired, meaning that there will be a huge demand.

According to Simon Ogari, the Assistant Minister for Information and Communication, the amount of local content is not in tandem with the market potential.

“We do not have the content right now and we are encouraging the producers to do more,” he said.

“Countries like Nigeria and closer home Tanzania have very good performing film markets and we have the potential to become the best.”

Players in the pay TV industry confirm that while they may provide a market for local programming content and enable the local film industry, the ultimate challenge falls on local film producers to make it work.

“The challenge now is for the local film and television producers,” says Mr Felix Kyengo, Go TV’s general manager.

“At MultiChoice we are always looking for local content because we want to provide African films across the continent and while we do get some products from Kenya, more still needs to be done especially as we move into digital programming.”

“We have demand for content through channels like M-net and African Magic Swahili which carry African content with the latter specifically targeted at the East African audiences.”

“The fact that we are lacking in local content is historical. Broadcasters chose the easy way out and went for offshore programmes. There has been a reliance on foreign productions and programmes from developed countries and this is retrogressive for our film industry.

“But the CCK and the government have come out to support local content to resonate with Kenyan’s culture and our people’s morals and we applaud this move,” said Mr Kyengo.

Local producers on the other hand say while digital broadcasting will offer more potential for market, the greatest challenge in creating programming content is heavy and unregulated taxation from the local and central government and institutions.

Mr Leakey Gitonga is a producer with production firm De Capture Limited which recently made The Magnate, a reality TV show where Kenyan entrepreneurs compete in specific tasks for a chance to get Sh1.5 million capital from CFC Bank.