GeoPoll, a mobile surveying and media research company, has just released a report on the digital migration, the public’s knowledge of the switchover, and the percentage who have already made the transition; in Kenya.
Digital migration has already begun in Nairobi so by June this year Kenya should be one with the migration and everyone will be needing a set top box in order to continue viewing through the analogue platform.
According to the GeoPoll survey, a 88 percent of Kenyans know the migration is taking place and will need set-top-boxes but only 45 percent currently have access to digital signal. The high cost of set-top-boxes was cited as the most common reason for not switching over, with 43 percent saying they have not switched to digital signal because it is too expensive.
‘In Nairobi, 81% were aware of the requirement to have all TV signals switched. These results could indicate that public messaging has been mixed around the transition: while many are aware they will need a set-top-box, some do not know why it will be required,’ said the report.
On the benefits of the migration, the report says that on 77 percent of Kenyans know the importance of the switchover. The answers they gave centered on the clarity of pictures and the additional stations they will receive with digital. These benefits align with those promoted by DigitalKenya, the campaign from the Communications Authority of Kenya.
GeoPoll also found out that less than half of the people they sampled (45.5%) is currently able to access digital signals. In Nairobi, where most channels have already stopped transmitting analogue signals, 60 percent of the sample can currently access digital signals; and 58 percent of them accessed through a pay-TV digital decoder, which has a monthly fee, and 21 percent have a set-top-box which receives basic stations for free. In Nairobi, 68 percent have a Pay-TV digital decoder.
The research report said that the reasons why many Kenyans have not yet made the switch over included:
- 43 percent considered it too expensive
- 15 percent said they did not know how
- 29 percent plan to switch over next month
- 21 percent plan to switch by the d-day
- 18 percent will switch next year
- 14 percent say they will never switch