A GeoPoll Analysis of TV & Radio Ratings (January – December 2024)
The media landscape in Kenya continues to evolve, with television and radio remaining key sources of news, entertainment, and engagement for millions of people. GeoPoll’s Audience Measurement (GAM) data from January to December 2024 offers insights into the most-watched television stations and most-listened-to radio stations nationwide. This report provides an overview of audience preferences, peak listening and viewing times, and regional radio dominance.
Understanding these general trends is essential for broadcasters, advertisers, and media planners looking to make data-driven decisions in a highly competitive space.
As you read through this overview, remember that this report provides just a high-level summary of audience trends in 2024. There are usually month-by-month and week-by-week changes that are not accounted for in this report. For deeper insights, such as hourly audience fluctuations, detailed regional breakdowns, advertising effectiveness, and content performance analysis, please reach out.
Top TV Stations in Kenya
Television continues to attract large audiences in Kenya, with Citizen TV maintaining its position as the most-watched channel. Other major stations such as NTV, KTN, KBC, and Maisha Magic East also reached a significant number of viewers to round up the Top 5.
Top 10 TV Stations by Reach (January – December 2024)
Rank
Stations
Reach %
1
Citizen TV
79
2
NTV
67.7
3
KTN
67.1
4
KBC
64.2
5
Maisha Magic East
64
6
K24
63.4
7
TV 47
62.5
8
SuperSport
61
9
KTN News*
60.7
10
Akili Kids
60.2
*KTN News has since been merged with KTN.
TV Viewership by Dayparts
Early Morning (6:00 AM – 9:00 AM): Citizen TV and NTV dominate morning news and talk show programming, with a steady audience tuning in for breakfast bulletins and current affairs discussions.
Mid-Morning (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM): While Citizen continues to lead this time block, Maisha Magic East and Inooro TV see increased viewership, particularly for local soap operas and lifestyle shows.
Afternoon (12:00 PM – 7:00 PM): Akili Kids, KTN, and Supersport gain traction as children take charge of the remote controls and get home from school, as well as entertainment programs and sports segments.
Prime-Time (7:00 PM – 9:30 PM): The peak of TV consumption in Kenya, dominated by Citizen TV, NTV, and KTN. Citizen TV peaks at 27.56 million viewers at 7:00 PM, while NTV attracts 17.47 million viewers at the same hour.
Late Night (9:30 PM – Midnight): Viewership drops significantly post-prime time, with the exception of SuperSport as football lovers watch late-night fixtures.
Weekend and Special Programming Trends
SuperSport experiences the biggest weekend growth, benefiting from football and other sports coverage.
Akili Kids TV also experiences a significant jump with their family and kids’ programming.
Local drama series on Maisha Magic East and Inooro TV sustain a strong weekend following.
Weekend news bulletins remain crucial audience drivers for Citizen TV and NTV.
Top Radio Stations in Kenya
Despite the onslaught by social media and podcasts, radio continues to serve as a primary information and entertainment platform in Kenya, reaching a wide audience across urban and rural areas. The most listened-to stations at the national level in 2024 were:
Rank
Stations
Reach %
1
Radio Citizen
72.4
2
Radio Jambo
68.6
3
Radio Maisha
68.1
4
Milele FM
64.2
5
Classic 105
63.7
6
Radio Taifa
61
7
Kiss FM
59.6
8
KBC English Service
58.8
9
NRG Radio
36.9
10
Kameme FM
34
Breakfast shows are the prime of radio, with the highest radio listenership observed at this time block. Citizen Radio, Classic 105, Radio Jambo, and Radio Maisha attract the highest listenership, driven by their lifestyle and political morning talk shows.
Regional Vernacular Radio Leaders
Despite the dominance of national giants, vernacular radio stations held significant influence in their respective regions. In Central Kenya, Kameme FM and Inooro led the market. Kaya and Msenangu were the top vernacular stations in the Coast region, while Ramogi and Mayienga were popular in the Lake Region. In Lower Eastern, Musyi and Mbaitu dominated, and in the Rift Valley, Chamgei and Emoo led the airwaves. Egesa and Minto were prominent in South Nyanza. Western Kenya was more fragmented, with the top vernacular stations Ingo, Mulembe, and West Kenya being 7th, 8th, and 9th, respectively, in a region dominated by national Swahili stations. Similarly in Nairobi, being cosmopolitan, vernacular stations recorded less share, with Kameme FM the only vernacular station in the Top 10 (9th).
Region
Top Vernacular Station
Market Share (%)
Central
Kameme FM
16.4%
Coast
Kaya FM
7.3%
Lake
Ramogi FM
22.8%
Lower Eastern
Musyi FM
10.2%
Nairobi
Kameme FM
5.1%
Rift
Chamgei FM
8.1%
South Nyanza
Egesa FM
20.6%
Western
Ingo FM
4.1%
Upper Eastern
Meru FM
8.2%
Overall, Radio Citizen was the leading station in the Coast, Lower Eastern, Upper Eastern, Western, and Rift regions. Classic 105 led in Nairobi, Kiss FM in the Lake region, and Egesa FM in South Nyanza.
GeoPoll Audience Measurement
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