OWALO
Information, Technology, and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary (CS) nominee Eliud Owalo has revealed that he intends to rebrand and rename the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) to Voice of Kenya.
Speaking on Friday October 21 before the National Assembly vetting committee, Owalo stated that KCB is performing below the bar despite having a wide access across the country.
“Something needs to be done about KBC. It is ironical that KBC, with its strong brand and wide network of infrastructure, is today punching below its weight in the marketplace,” Owalo told the committee.
He also stated that he did not understand why the parastatal’s name was changed from Voice of Kenya to KBC. Owalo added that there is a need to “re-engineer the content of KBC so that it gets effective positioning in the market”
“This will be one of my key areas of intervention if I come into the office as the CS of this ministry, Mr. Chairman.”
“I intend to revitalise the operation of KBC first of all by rebranding it. I don’t quite understand the reason that informed the change of name from the Voice of Kenya to Kenya Broadcasting Corporation,” he stated.
However, Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuda, a former KBC employee, disagreed with Owalo’s plan to restructure KBC, stating that it could be the most effective move.
“Having worked at KBC, I do not believe that rebranding is the primary challenge; the company has been rebranded numerous times in the past. That is not the primary obstacle,” Lesuda said.
She added that the CS nominee might still wish to review staff motivation, promotion, and compensation so that the national broadcaster is not merely a stepping stone for talented journalists to private media outlets.
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