Audience Reach of Traditional Media: A Reality Rooted in Facts

In an era dominated by digital disruption, a common yet misleading narrative has taken root: that legacy media is on its deathbed, soon to be eclipsed by the unstoppable rise of digital platforms.

While this claim makes for a compelling soundbite, the reality—when examined through the lens of data—tells a far more nuanced and sobering story.

Consider this:

Kenya’s population is approximately 55.1 million. Only 28% reside in urban centers, meaning the vast majority—around 39.6 million individuals—live in rural areas. Internet access, often heralded as the great equalizer, remains anything but. Within urban regions, just 56.6% of residents have access to home internet, equating to a mere 8.7 million people.

In rural areas, the gap widens significantly, with only 15% enjoying home internet access—just 5.9 million individuals. When combined, this leaves a staggering 40.4 million Kenyans without reliable home internet connectivity.

Even mobile internet penetration, often cited as a game-changer, remains far from universal. At just 32.7%, mobile connectivity is not yet an omnipresent force capable of replacing traditional media as the primary source of news and entertainment.

What does this tell us?

The answer is both simple and profound:

For the majority of Kenyans, legacy media—primarily television and radio—remains not only relevant but indispensable. It continues to serve as the most reliable, practical, and far-reaching medium of communication, particularly in rural communities where digital access remains a privilege rather than a norm.

And yet, the calls for legacy media’s demise often come from a relatively small, hyper-connected urban demographic—individuals who assume their ability to stream news, binge YouTube videos, or subscribe to digital platforms is a nationwide reality. The truth, however, is starkly different.

Ironically, even digital creators and influencers who decry traditional media frequently rely on its content. Many of the stories, interviews, and reports that fuel the online ecosystem originate from television and radio broadcasts. Legacy media remains a foundational pillar upon which much of the digital conversation is built.

To declare legacy media obsolete is to ignore the realities of accessibility, infrastructure, and audience reach. While digital media continues its rapid evolution, it has yet to dislodge the dominance of traditional platforms. If anything, legacy media is adapting, evolving, and proving its resilience in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.

For now—and for decades to come—television and radio will remain at the heart of information dissemination. Their role is not diminishing; it is transforming. And rather than facing extinction, legacy media stands poised to remain a cornerstone of communication for generations to come.