Citizen TV maintains dominance as Kenya’s most-watched station - MCK report

Findings from the 2025 State of the Media Report Survey, released during the World Press Freedom Day 2026 celebrations at Strathmore University, indicate that while television remains highly influential, more Kenyans are increasingly turning to digital platforms for news.

Speaking at the event on Monday, Media Council of Kenya (MCK) CEO David Omwoyo said social media has now overtaken television as the leading source of news, accounting for 27 per cent of consumption, compared to TV’s 25 per cent and radio’s 19 per cent.

"Even today I've seen the link of this event has been shared in WhatsApp, which will be shared in other platforms like Facebook...," he noted 

Despite the slight decline in overall TV viewership by six per cent, Omwoyo noted a growing appetite in the coastal region for specific content, including Bongo music, sports, and betting-related programming. He added that Tanzanian television stations are also steadily attracting Kenyan audiences.

In radio, Radio Citizen continues to lead in listenership, reinforcing the strong performance of Royal Media Services platforms.

The report further highlights a sharp drop in newspaper readership, which has fallen from 29 per cent to 13 per cent.

However, the Nation Media Group-owned Daily Nation newspaper remains the most read, with audiences increasingly accessing content online rather than through print copies.

At the same time, public confidence in the media appears to be on the rise.

Omwoyo said 54 per cent of Kenyans now believe the media is covering the government fairly, up from 24 per cent in 2024, while 79 per cent feel the media is doing the right job.

Media Complaints Commission Chairperson Demus Kiprono, however, cautioned that increased trust has been accompanied by heightened scrutiny.

He noted a surge in complaints related to unfair coverage, adding that newspapers, despite declining readership, still account for the majority of cases handled by the Commission.