Communications Authority of Kenya to Revoke Six Standard Media Group Broadcasting Licences Over Ksh48.87 Million Debt
The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has issued a notice to revoke six broadcasting licences belonging to the Standard Media Group.
The affected stations are Radio Maisha, Spice FM, Vybez Radio, KTN News, Berur FM, and KTN Burudani. The move comes after the media house failed to clear an outstanding debt of Ksh48.87 million in regulatory fees and Universal Service Fund (USF) levy.
According to the CA, the total debt includes unpaid licence fees and the USF levy. The authority had earlier rejected a payment plan proposed by the Standard Group and demanded full settlement or a new acceptable plan. This latest notice follows previous warnings, with the CA threatening to publish the revocation in the Kenya Gazette if the matter is not resolved.
The development has raised concerns about the future operations of these popular radio and television stations. The Standard Group has described the action as an attempt to silence independent media voices. Many Kenyans are now watching closely to see whether the stations will negotiate a solution or if the licences will indeed be cancelled, which could significantly affect media diversity in the country.
