BBC Monitoring observed on 18 September 2007 the existence of two new radio stations in Nairobi.
The first is Umoja FM that is broadcasting lots of African music on 101.5 MHz. However, information posted on the broadcasting regulator’s web site, Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), identified the station as “Neural Digital”. This name could refer to the radio’s owners. Umoja is unity in Swahili.
Also puzzling is that, this frequency used to belong Koch FM, which is a community station founded in June 2006 to cater for Nairobi’s third largest slum, Korogocho.
A local media magazine, Expression Today, reported in March 2007 that Neural Digital is owned by one Edward Budohi and that it has additional frequencies for Mombasa (coast region), Kisumu (west), Nakuru (northwest of Nairobi), Meru (central-east), Garissa (northeast), Malindi (coast) and Voi (southeast).
Also on air in Nairobi is an unidentified station broadcasting non-stop music on 91.5 MHz. The CCK web site says this frequency belongs to Bridge Media. The Expression Today report noted that Bridge Media has frequencies for Mombasa, Kisumu, Nyeri (central Kenya), Meru, Kitui (southeast), and Kisii (west).
Meanwhile, the BBC World Service has changed two of its Kenyan FM frequencies. According to paid press advertisements on 15 September, the service has changed its Nairobi frequency from 93.7 to 93.9 MHz, while the one for Kisumu changes from 88.2 MHz to 88.1 MHz.
(Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 18 Sep/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
