Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
| Type | Terrestrial television and radio broadcast network |
|---|---|
| Country | Kenya |
| Availability | Kenya |
| Founded | 1924; as East Africa Broadcasting Corporation by Colonial administration of British Kenya |
| |
| Headquarters | Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, Harry Thuku Road, Nairobi |
Broadcast area | Kenya |
| Owner | Government of Kenya |
Launch date | 1924 (radio) 1962 (television) |
Official website | www |
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) is the state-run media organisation of Kenya. It broadcasts in English and Swahili, as well as in most local languages of Kenya.
The corporation was launched as a radio service in 1924 when Kenya was a British colony, making it the first radio station in Kenya. It was initially called the East African Broadcasting Corporation (EABC), and relayed BBC News. In 1964, when Kenya became independent, and the corporation's name was changed to Voice of Kenya. In 1989, the Kenyan parliament changed the name to Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).
During the rule of president Daniel arap Moi, KBC became the mouthpiece of the government, but under president Mwai Kibaki, KBC took a more objective approach, and helped start the career of some notable journalists, especially before the liberalization of the airwaves in Kenya. After many decades of dominance in the Kenyan market, KBC has been overtaken in programming content and ratings, especially with the advent of private TV stations and digital satellite television in the early 2000s.