Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) and the ICT Authority have signed a Memorandum of Understanding under which the two state entities would collaborate to improve access to opportunities under the digital superhighway agenda.
The authority will support, among other things, the connection of KBC transmission sites and regional offices to high-speed broadband through fiber optic cable, which will then be extended to reach neighboring communities, according to the agreement signed on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, by ICTA Chief Executive Officer Stanley Kamanguya and Acting Managing Director of KBC Samuel Maina.
According to the agreement, offices in Mombasa and Kisumu will receive priority.
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The Authority is also anticipated to assist the Corporation in improving its surrounding infrastructure, which includes KBC Channel 1, Y254, Heritage TV, 21 radio stations, and digital services.
The two parties will also collaborate on capacity building through the training of professional IT personnel, the digitization and automation of some services, and the promotion of online safety awareness.
This comes months after ICT CS Eliud Owalo revealed strategies to revamp the state-owned TV Station KBC.
Read:ICT CS Nominee Eliud Owalo’s Plan To Revamp KBC
Appearing before the National Assembly committee on vetting on Friday, October 21, 2022, Owalo said he had plans to revitalize KBC operations by rebranding the TV station to conform to contemporary market standards
He believed that providing it with a national perspective with its original name, Voice of Kenya (VOK), was crucial. He added that the government was eager to use ICT to re-engineer KBC TV programs to meet the standards and preferences of viewers.
The ICT CS nominee also disclosed strategies for revitalizing KBC through the purchase of new infrastructure inspired by the world’s top media organizations.
Owalo also noted that the government had put up plans to evaluate the remuneration architecture while also taking job evaluation exercises into consideration in order to attract top talent. He was optimistic that KBC would get its groove back and compete in the international media market.
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