Chinese-owned Pan Africa Network Group (PANG) has purchased four new television broadcast frequencies from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), expanding its television network coverage in the country.
Chinese company StarTimes China Africa Digital TV Media Ltd holds a 93.75 percent stake in PANG, while Excel Magic holds a 6.25 percent stake.
After acquiring new digital terrestrial television (DTT) frequencies, PANG now has 129 assigned frequencies, up from 125, increasing its lead as the broadcaster with the largest number of frequencies in the country.
Meanwhile, its competitors – Africa Digital Network (AND), GOtv Kenya, Lancia Digital Broadcasting and Signet Signal Distributors – remained at frequencies of 38, 61, 14 and 120 respectively.
“The Authority allocated four additional frequencies for digital television (DTT), bringing the cumulative number of allocations to 362, compared to 358 in the previous year,” CA said in its annual report for the year ending in June 2023.
StarTimes was founded in China in 1988 and launched in Africa in 2008, increasing competition in a market dominated by leading networks such as MultiChoice, which offers DStv and GOtv.
StarTimes has been trying to increase its viewership in recent years by expanding its content offerings including sports, reality, movies, kids shows, business and news.
According to CA, DTT remains the most popular platform for accessing subscription streaming services since Kenya moved from analogue to digital transmission nearly a decade ago.
About 4.48 million Kenyans subscribed to digital TV streaming services in the quarter ending December 2023, representing 70.4 percent of subscriptions to streaming services in Kenya.
Meanwhile, director-to-home (DTH) service accounted for 28.4 percent of total subscriptions to streaming services during the period.
“This may be due to the relative affordability of monthly subscription fees compared to cable and DTH, resulting in mass access to lower market segments,” CA said.
However, Kenyans are facing rising prices for streaming services due to the weakening of the shilling in recent years, which has resulted in the cost of monthly subscriptions rising.
For example, MultiChoice Kenya raised DStv prices by 6 percent in April, marking the third price increase in one year, dealing a blow to the entertainment budgets of households and businesses.