SK MACHARIA’s Royal Media Services under THREAT as CCK shuts down 6 transmitters

  The Kenyan DAILY TRUTH understands that the usually timid Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) has started a curious grudge match with one of the country’s biggest media houses, the Royal Media Services by shutting down six of its broadcast transmitters allegedly for operating without valid licenses.

The six transmitters which were shut down are in Nakuru, Narok, Mukuyuni in Makueni and Mambrui, Malindi.

In a statement from CCK Director General Francis Wangusi, the agency said that the six transmitters were part of 17 that had been "put up illegally by Royal Media Services in the recent past without a licence from CCK, and therefore in contravention of the law". 

The letter also alleged that the illegal transmitters had been scrambling the communication signals for the country’s aviation industry;

"Some of the transmitters are located in non-designated broadcasting sites thus causing interferences to other critical services including aviation.”

"The safety of our airspace was under threat as these illegal transmitters had on a number of occasions caused interferences to communication between pilots and the control tower at our main airports."

According to the letter, Royal Media Services could yet still see more of its frequencies shut down;

“A further 22 FM and 2 TV unauthorized frequencies that Royal Media Services acquired in the same manner between 2008 and 2012 are pending adjudication in the courts.”

Some are likely to read politics into the CCK’s latest move since the Royal Media Services juggernaut has recently been accused of pulling for Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s bid for the presidency in the March 4^th elections.