By Victor Bwire
Digital media platforms are now the primary sources for content access and consumption in Kenya, as in the rest of the world. The current arena for media production, dissemination, reception, and consumption is largely digital, even as traditional platforms, especially television, continue to keep pace.
Often oblivious to the risks posed by digital platforms, media houses in Kenya have fully embraced the converged news production model. Even as new startups in the form of digital news outlets dominate the space, traditional media have also invested heavily in social media to scale their brands.
This trend reflects global practice, where media outlets are increasingly investing in digital transformation as audience preferences shift toward a “breaking news” and “news-in-my-hands” culture. This shift also aligns well with the niche audience approach, where audiences are fragmented and audience-led programming is becoming the norm in the news business.
A recent study by the Media Council of Kenya, the State of the Media 2025 Survey, confirms this shift in news consumption. The study indicates that social media has overtaken television as Kenyans’ primary news source, with 39%citing it as their main platform compared to 31% for television. Radio and other outlets trail behind.
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A majority, 74%, of Kenyans now use social or digital platforms for content access and information consumption. WhatsApp (19.8%) and Facebook (18.2%) remain the most popular platforms, followed by the rapidly growing TikTok (14.9 per cent) and YouTube (12.3%). More than half of Kenyans regularly visit news websites, highlighting how social platforms have become the dominant gateway to news.
Live streaming by individuals has complemented what was once the preserve of television through live broadcasting. At the same time, personalized tools such as WhatsApp have accelerated the spread of news, enabling content creators—unrestricted by formal institutional bottlenecks- to reach wider audiences.
The findings show a fundamental realignment toward digital platforms. When asked which medium they had used in the past week, social media (27%) edged ahead of television (25%) for the first time, while radio stood at 19%.
Print media continues its sharp decline, with weekly newspaper readership falling from 20% in 2024 to 13%in 2025; the lowest level, down from 26% in 2023. Daily television viewership also dropped from 63% in 2024 to 57% in 2025, although prime-time slots between 7 pm and 10 pm remain popular.
Over the past two decades, digital media has given traditional (print and broadcast) media a run for their money globally, largely because the internet has transformed how people consume news. As a result, traditional media have had to aggressively establish online platforms, even as smaller digital outlets continue to emerge rapidly.
Notably, for the first time, news and content can be created by individuals rather than media companies, which may have vested interests. This has expanded the space for plurality and diversity of voices, especially for vulnerable groups seeking to be heard and seen.
Online media has also become a powerful avenue for human rights activism, environmental advocacy, political mobilization, whistleblowing, and the sharing of ideas and experiences about governance.
An earlier study by the Media Council of Kenya, released in January 2026, Navigating the Digital Reality: Monetization Challenges and Opportunities for Kenyan Media in the Digital Economy, found that digital technologies have fundamentally reshaped media production, distribution, and business models worldwide. These changes present both opportunities, such as cost efficiencies, wider audience reach, and new revenue streams, and challenges, including declining traditional advertising and dependence on digital platforms.
The study further notes that Kenyan newsrooms, both traditional and digital, have adopted innovative monetization strategies, including programmatic advertising, sponsored or native content, branded partnerships, subscription and paywall models, mobile payments and donations, affiliate marketing, and events.
Regarding platforms used to access news and entertainment, over 50% of respondents reported using social media (Facebook, X/Twitter, TikTok, Instagram) and streaming platforms (Netflix, Showmax, Spotify, YouTube), in that order, while news websites, radio, and television lag behind.
Interestingly, entertainment content leads in audience preference, while reasons for consuming news include real-time updates, source credibility, personalized recommendations, and user-generated content.
While 59% of respondents were aware of AI, 63% could not identify AI-generated content. Sixty-one per cent reported using platforms that deploy AI, with nearly half indicating an improved user experience.
Live streaming, real-time fact-checking, and crowdsourcing of events have enabled young people to challenge official narratives, attract global attention, and enhance real-time accountability. The digital public sphere is fostering a shared national experience grounded more in participatory politics than in ethnic or partisan affiliations.
At the same time, digital platforms have fueled the rise of whistleblowing as a civic practice, enabling Kenyans to expose corruption, challenge opaque state decisions, and defend the public interest. These actions have weakened traditional gatekeeping by governments and other institutions, as young people redefine national loyalty, not as fear of the state, but as the defense of transparency and public assets.
Memes have also emerged as a distinctive form of political expression and identity formation among Kenyan youth. They remix political symbols, national imagery, and public figures into humorous or satirical content that critiques authority and fosters shared political awareness. Due to their viral nature, memes spread quickly, bypassing traditional media controls and reaching large audiences.
Victor Bwire is the Director, Media Training and Development at the Media Council of Kenya.
