Authority switches off channels in digital shift
Nairobians could only watch a few television channels after the government switched off analogue transmission on Thursday.
Citizen, KTN, NTV and QTV were still broadcasting on the analogue platform, but national broadcaster KBC, K24, Family, Kiss, and GBS were switched off by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA).
The broadcasting signals switched off in Nairobi and its environs are available on the digital platform.
Viewers can continue watching their favourite programmes if they have set top boxes.
SWITCHED OFF
“Analogue transmission shall be switched off at 2359hrs tonight in Nairobi and its environs,” the authority said on Wednesday.
CA had earlier announced that it would switch off 10 stations, but only turned off seven.
“The switch off for Nairobi affects Citizen TV channel 34/39, KTN channel 59, KBC channel 23, K24 channel 26, NTV channel 42, QTV channel 12, Family TV channel 9, EATV channel 62, KISS TV channel 55, GBS channel 47,” the authority said.
The switch off took place even as a court case involving three media houses — Nation Media Group, Royal Media Services and Standard Group, which have asked for the migration deadline to be extended — is expected to be heard on Monday next week.
TEMPORARY STOPPAGE
The Supreme Court directed temporarily stoppage of the migration following an application filed by the media houses seeking more time to prepare for the shift.
The broadcasters, in their application, said they had not been granted enough frequency to deploy their own digital signal.
Last November, the government licensed the three to build their own digital infrastructure.
Communications and Technology Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said that the court only restrained the regulator from cancelling the licences of the three media houses that had sued, but did not say anything about the December 31, midnight deadline.