Leading digital news brand Citizen.Digital turns one

A one-stop shop for dependable news, information, and entertainment, Citizen.Digital unifies all of the group's broadcast and digital brands under a single roof.

More than 12 million people have used the Citizen.Digital app since its launch, and 13 million people have visited the website, posting more than 71 million pageviews.

Within the same year, the Citizen TV Youtube channel, a Citizen.Digital product became Kenya's first channel to cross the 1 billion views mark. 

The channel also boasts an impressive 3.1 million subscribers. 

Wachira Waruru, Group MD, attributes this success to the Royal Media Services Group's (RMS) strong heritage in news production.

"The performance of Citizen Digital has been phenomenal. We launched it a year ago and within 3 months it had become the number one news and entertainment app in Kenya," Group MD Wachira Waruru said during the celebrations. 

In just one year, the Citizen.Digital app has risen to the top of the Google App Store rankings, emerging as the leading app in the News and Magazine category.

Carol Wanyama, RMS Marketing Director, attributed this notable achievement to a dedicated audience that continues to believe in Citizen.Digital's products.

"The confidence from our consumers has been overwhelming and we are so grateful to them, because through them and their subscriptions and downloading of the app, we are Kenya’s number one news app," said Ms Wanyama. 

Linus Kaikai, the group's Editorial Director, echoed her sentiments, saying that the milestones are due to a loyal and dedicated audience that has continued to consume citizen digital products.

"We want to thank our consumers, those consuming the Royal Media Products, whether it is news or programmes, they have shown a lot of support and loyalty to our products including welcoming Citizen Digital and making it, within a year, the number one digital platform. We are very happy," Mr. Kaikai said during the celebrations. 

"We are so grateful for accolades such as the number one platform as per the Reuters Digital Institute, our top ranking in Playstore in the news and magazine category as well as.I want to tell you that whenever you get online, think Citizen Digital first. I promise you, you won’t be disappointed."

Some of the new products that have kept readers coming back for more include the innovative 'Wanachi Reporting,' which allows citizens across the country to share stories in real time as they happen.

In July of this year, the Wananchi Reporting product was chosen for the 2022/2023 Google News Initiative Challenge, with a funding of KSh9.6 million.

Citizen Extra, a 24-hour online channel showcasing extended versions of unique news, and Citizen Digital Livestream, which gives you access to live broadcasts of RMS' 3 TV stations, 2 national radio stations, and 12 regional radio stations, are among the other offerings on the Citizen.Digital's online menu.

Citizen.Digital provides clients with a one-of-a-kind platform for livestreaming any event to a captive audience.

There is also an elections portal, which serves as a one-stop shop for information on the General Elections in 2022 and upcoming by-elections.

Additionally, the Citizen Digital app provides business news, entertainment, exclusive videos, and new digital shows.