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| From (l to r) Information CS Matiang'i, CAK's Mutua Muthusi, and CAL lawyer Wambua Kilonzo |
Analogue TV signals in Nairobi and its environs will be switched off tonight at 11:59PM or after the Presidential New Year address industry regulator Communications Authority has vowed.
This is despite a court application by the three media houses of Royal Media (Citizen), NMG (NTV) and Standard Group (KTN) to allow them to keep broadcasting in analogue until they have their infrastructure in place.
But tough talking Ministry of Information and CAK officials said in a press conference that the switch off timetable as issued in a gazette notice by Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i, remains in place.
Despite obtaining orders from the Supreme Court Vice President Kalpana Rawal certifying their application as urgent and maintaining status quo until the hearing set for January 5, Lawyer Wambua Kilonzo acting for CAK and Mr. Mwangi from the Attorney General's office, said their interpretation of the court orders was that the digital migration process was not stopped.
"I have advised CAK not to cancel the licenses of the media owners but this does not stop the digital migration process from going on," Kilonzo said.
Kilonzo in a position supported by the AG's counsel, said the Supreme Court did not grant orders to prayer number 2 of the media houses for the digital migration process to be stopped in the meantime.
According to CAK Consumer and Public Affairs director Mutua Muthusi, the channels set for switch off tonight include:
Citizen (Channels 34, 39)
KTN 59
KBC 23
K24 26
GBS 47
NTV 42
QTV 12
Family 9
ETV 62
KIss TV (Channel 55)
Muthusi said Kenyans are ready to migrate and cited sales figures of set top boxes which have ballooned in the last month.
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| Members of the independent STB vendors association listen in during the press conference. |
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