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The Communications and Multimedia Appeals Tribunal has approved the Communications Authority of Kenya’s (CA) move to cancel six broadcasting licences held by Standard Media Group PLC due to unpaid fees totaling Sh48.87 million.
In its ruling, the tribunal dismissed the media house’s appeal, confirming that the planned revocation was lawful under the Kenya Information and Communications Act (KICA).
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The case involves outstanding annual licence fees and Universal Service Fund (USF) levies, which remained unpaid despite repeated notices and extended deadlines from the regulator.
The licences affected include Vybez Radio, Berur FM, Radio Maisha, Spice FM, KTN Burudani, and KTN News.
“The tribunal found that the Authority had repeatedly provided Standard Media Group with opportunities over a prolonged period to settle its obligations, and that regulatory duties under KICA are clear and binding,” the ruling stated.
Records show that CA issued a notice of contravention in December 2023, followed by revocation notices in September 2024 after the broadcaster failed to clear the debt.
The total arrears consist of Sh13.88 million in licence fees and Sh34.99 million in USF levies, despite multiple regulator meetings with the company.
Standard Group did not dispute the debt but cited a December 2024 payment plan, claiming that the revocation notices breached this agreement and violated constitutional rights to freedom of expression.
The tribunal rejected this defence, noting that regulatory obligations cannot be overridden by private agreements and that the broadcaster had ample notice and opportunity to comply.
It further emphasized that broadcasting frequencies are limited public resources subject to strict legal regulation, and enforcing licence conditions is essential for proper sector governance.
Costs were awarded to the Communications Authority, underscoring the need for compliance within Kenya’s broadcasting industry.
