Startimes to injects sh.200 Million investment in local content development

Pay Television broadcaster StarTimes Media has committed to inject an additional Ksh.200 Million investment in local content development this year following the success of the company’s local content channel – Rembo TV.

The planned investment will bring the broadcaster’s progressive spend in local content to over Ksh.400 Million following an initial commitment of a similar amount when the broadcaster set up the self-produced local content channel that is available to Kenyan subscribers.

Speaking when the company unveiled NIA – a new premium local drama and among the first highlights of this year’s investment, Regional Marketing Director Mr. Aldrine Nsubuga noted that the local drama NIA is set to captivate subscribers, the company having invested heavily in research, cast and quality of production in ensuring the program sets itself apart in the market once it premiers on 14^th February.

“Our premium local drama – NIA being the first local production investment this year, will set the tone on our commitment to quality local entertainment for our subscribers. We are looking forward to increasingly growing our subscriber value proposition by airing exclusive local productions at the same most affordable subscription rates available in the market today,” noted Mr. Nsubuga.

StarTimes content Director Mr. Myke Mwai while detailing upcoming investments this year, noted that the pay television broadcaster is set to work with more content developers as they seek to tap their expertise towards exploring new local content genres that will increasingly appeal to subscribers.

“We plan to reach out to an increased number of local content developers which will give us an edge towards developing unique genres that subscribers will easily resonate with as they will touch their day today lifestyles while at the same time, ensuring the content is appropriate for the whole family television viewing experience,” noted Mr. Mwai.

StarTimes has partnered with renowned AR productions based in Mombasa County to produce the new Kiswahili local drama NIA that exclusively premiers on the broadcaster’s self-produced local content channel Rembo TV on Monday 14^th February through to Friday at 8pm.

“This is our first assignment with StarTimes, we are thrilled to have our efforts taken up by a pay television platform and its testament enough that local content productions have come of age. We are confident NIA will be a very popular drama given the efforts that have been put to the final product even as we look forward to more engagements with the broadcaster,” noted Mr. Daudi Anguka, CEO AR Film Productions.

Rembo TV is available across three East African countries that is Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda thereby presenting an enviable platform to market Kenyan productions across the regionand is available across all StarTimes bouquet options on terrestrial and satellite platforms.

StarTimes has a choice of three bouquets on the terrestrial platform with the superior Classic bouquet retailing at only Ksh. 899 while the other two bouquets include Basic and Nyota retailing at Ksh. 599 and Ksh. 299 respectively.

The broadcaster’s satellite television platform has the monthly subscription option of Super, Smart or Nova bouquet retailing at Ksh. 1,499, Ksh, 999 or Ksh. 449 respectively.