The African media demographics are unique and offer great opportunities and special challenges for anyone willing to get into its murky waters.

With a population of 1.3 billion majority being youth, this is a minefield of opportunities. It is also estimated that around 48% of the total population estimated at over 500 million are urban dwellers. For digital media, the total usage of the internet lies at around 40% of the population which translates to over half a billion people.

In Kenya, media usage and behavior may offer a unique opportunity and thus require an in-depth look to understand it. The recently conducted census by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics puts Kenya’s population at approximately 48 million people. This data in totality represents a conglomerate of different sexes, races, religions, locations, tribes and different interests, and needs for respective people.

Media changes with time as technology evolve and user behavior mutate differently. More users now prefer TV and entertainment on-demand on than before. This has been precipitated by technological innovations such as YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, Viusasa and other on-demand channels which have offered a diversification of opportunities as people can follow local TV or radio programs even away from home with streaming options already available.

Internet penetration, social media, and smartphone access have also revolutionized the media industry. According to a report compiled by Jumia, mobile internet access in Kenya stands at 91% with over 43 million people having internet access. This is a new world of media that is offering new opportunities that need to be tapped. With over 8.3 million users spending a minimum of 3 hours daily on social media, news and current affairs find their way more conveniently and faster than with other media platforms.

With over 8.3 million users spending a minimum of 3 hours daily on social media,

Government policies and economic performance are also key shapers of the media industry. Good and progressive policies shape the industry and spur economic growth which in turn improves media uptake. With population growth, movement patterns and technological changes, much is going to change in 2020 and beyond. However, for us to conceptualize the changes below are how media channels are currently and how they are likely to evolve going forward.

Read More