Social media emerges top source of news for Kenyans as Radio drops - MCK

The report, released on Monday as stakeholders marked World Press Freedom Day 2026, showed that 39% of Kenyans used social media as a source of news in 2025. 

TV followed as the most preferred source of news (31%), as Radio came third at 21%. 4% of Kenyans in the survey said they depended on family, friends and colleagues for news updates, while 3% relied on news websites and 1% got their news from newspapers. 

The survey noted a decline in reliance on radio for news, which was the source of news for 26% of Kenyans in 2024. 

MCK’s survey also found a general decline in TV viewership, which dropped from 63% in 2024 to 57% in 2025. 

Artificial Intelligence applications are also emerging as sources of news for a section of Kenyans. 

The State of the Media Report found that 34% of respondents used AI platforms for news occasionally, while 27% did so regularly. Another 39% never used AI platforms for news content. 

48% of those who used AI platforms for news content observed that it enhanced their experiences, as 34% others observed no difference in their consumption. 

12% of Kenyans in the survey observed that the use of AI applications for news consumption affected their experience negatively. 

In the annual review of media reach in Kenya, Citizen TV maintained its dominance as Kenya’s most-watched television station, commanding a 56 per cent audience share.