Pay Television firm StarTimes Media has invested Ksh 200 Million ($200m) to launch its TV channel dubbed Rembo TV.
The self-produced channel will work with over 30 content developers in the country with a key focus on reality television shows targeting the women audience and with a language policy comprising of 60% Kiswahili, 30% English and 10% vernacular.
StarTimes Chief Executive Officer Mr. Andy Wang said, “Our investment in Rembo TV is a statement of our long term commitment to the Kenyan market. As the 24 hour channel goes live, we intend to be home of uninterrupted entertainment attending to our subscribers demand for reality TV shows.”
Rembo TV will be available in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda thereby presenting an enviable platform to market Kenyan productions across the region.
The channel will be available on all the StarTimes bouquet options both on terrestrial and satellite platforms with the company eyeing growth in subscriber retention as well as listing new subscribers keen on the improved content towards growing the pay television company’s market share.
“I wish to challenge broadcasters to also focus on niche content such as the Children content towards achieving the 60% local content threshold,” said Communication Authority Director General Mr. Francis Wangusi.
The continued investments in local productions are an indicator of the growth experienced in the industry with the commission aggressively positioning Kenyan productions to rival other competing industries in neighboring Tanzania and Nigeria.
These latest developments follow closely to the recent terrestrial bouquet realignment which resulted to the pay television platform effecting a 50% price drop for its superior Classic bouquet which is now retailing at only Ksh. 749 with the other two bouquets being Basic and Nyota retailing at Ksh. 599 and Ksh. 259 respectively.
The broadcaster’s satellite television platform has the monthly subscription option of Super, Smart or Nova bouquet retailing at Ksh. 1,499, Ksh, 899 or Ksh. 449 respectively.
