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<p class="MsoNormal">Listers,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Andalus","serif"">Third broadcast signal distribution licence to be issued
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Andalus","serif"">The Government has promised to issue a third broadcast signal distribution licence through a competitive process.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Andalus","serif"">The licence will, however, be ring-fenced to restrict it to local investors only. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:5.0pt;
font-family:"Andalus","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Andalus","serif"">ICT Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i made these remarks today during a breakfast meeting with TV broadcasters held at a Nairobi hotel. Dr. Matiang’i said the Government
was ready to engage in an honest and decent dialogue with the broadcast industry in resolving challenges facing this sector.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:5.0pt;
font-family:"Andalus","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Andalus","serif"">He commended CCK for its recent directive to the two signal distribution firms to ensure Free to Air (FTA) channels were freely accessible to viewers, and appealed to
broadcasters who had pulled out content from the digital platform to restore it so that consumers do not lose faith in the migration process.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:5.0pt;
font-family:"Andalus","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Andalus","serif"">A number of broadcasters withdrew content in protest against pay TV firms that were charging viewers to access FTA channels.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:5.0pt;
font-family:"Andalus","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Andalus","serif"">During the meeting, the media industry complained to the Cabinet Secretary about unclear interconnection charges, their exclusion from the digital distribution business
and sale of their content by third parties. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:5.0pt;
font-family:"Andalus","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Andalus","serif""> Dr. Matiangi said discussions between the government and the media industry would commence immediately to iron out differences that are threatening to derail the migration
process.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:5.0pt;
font-family:"Andalus","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Andalus","serif"">‘‘We have to meet beginning tomorrow (Friday) and get a solution to this matter in the next seven days,’ he added.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:5.0pt;
font-family:"Andalus","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Andalus","serif"">Dr Matiang’i underscored the importance of an early digital switch-over saying it would allow the country to deal with emerging challenges and reduce migration costs
in the long run.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:5.0pt;
font-family:"Andalus","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Andalus","serif"">Kenya had earlier set December 2012 as the switch off deadline but a pending court case has since stalled the process.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Andalus","serif"">The Cabinet Secretary called on industry players to adhere to the law, and directed the industry regulator, the Communications Commission of Kenya, to enforce the law
without fear or favour.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:5.0pt;
font-family:"Andalus","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Andalus","serif"">The breakfast meeting was convened by CCK to introduce Dr. Matiang’í to the broadcasting industry players and to provide a platform for addressing pertinent issues in
the broadcasting industry. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"">Christopher Wambua<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"">Manager/Communications<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"">Consumer and Public Affairs Division
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"">Communications Commission of Kenya<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"">P.O. Box 14448, NAIROBI 00800<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"">KENYA<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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