A forum titled #whatsnextmedia was organized by Nest at the Aga Khan Graduate School of Media and Communications, in Nairobi yesterday. The first panel had Dennis Itumbi, Owaahh, Gaddo and Carole Kimutai. There was some nice chats about the current state of media, but it all came down to – what’s next in in media? 

Carole:

•  Tuko produces viral content as Kenyans want short precise news delivered daily
• They have to monetize continue – and they have just started to scratch the surface. Their sister site in Nigeria has 1 million views daily.
• A new website has give answers, as there’s too much content out there. People check ma3route every day as it gives enables them to make  decisions like which road to drive on.
• Legacy media need to understand their audiences.  Readers wants smarter delivery e.g. her Qz.com news app talks to her about the news they deliver.
• Young people are less informed and can’t answer simple questions. They don’t read, but love gossip – and they now have a gossip page that is very popular.

Gaddo:  

• As a cartoonist, he has benefited from the freedom of media and internet in Kenya
• Buni (producers of the XYZ show) contracts state that media owners cannot interfere with  the program’s content.
• He;s worried that our brains can only process 140 characters – and it takes a lot of expertise to do good, short content
• We should discuss media ownership in Kenya. The media is owned by the political elite and crooked people.

Dennis: 

• The Kenyan president has been an observer of his online accounts, but in the next financial year (from June 30, 2016), that will change and he will become more interactive on his personal (ukenyatta) and official (presidentke) accounts.
• It’s been a struggle to upgrade, secure, and improve government websites (and emails) with limited budgets but that continues. More online interactions brings improvement of government services e.g. internships at NITA
• He’s fought to get jobs for bloggers and digital strategists and there will be many more for independent-minded  bloggers who can articulate and sell the Jubilee government agenda
• They have a digital verification hub at State House to confirm and respond to negative media stories.

Owaahh:  

• Niches – there is no mainstream audience, you need to write for specific people
• You can’t make content for revenue, and you don’t need 1 million readers. James Murua blog is very big in the literature community in Nigeria, even though not many Kenyans know it. And when you have a niche, you can monetize it.

Others :

• ghlaflarization of media – other newspapers and media are adding more gossip content, and have click bait headlines to imitate Ghafla that gets 1-2 million visitors per month
• There are about 8 million whatsapp users in Kenya – more than facebook &  twitter combined, and it’s a  powerful channel for exchange of information – CEO of @ongair