Pay-television company StarTimes Media has today unveiled a revamped channel offering for Kenyan subscribers that will include local content to be broadcasted through its novel self-produced channel Star Swahili. The company has partnered with content developers in the country, including Kenya Film Commission, to promote local talent with major flagship content being Churchill Live, Samantha Bridal as well as other lifestyle shows. Kenya Film Commission boss Lizzie Chongoti said: “as a commission, we continue to actively facilitate the provision of content development, funding and investment for film projects in the country, the entry of investors such as star times who will complement these efforts is a welcome boost to the industry as it presents a ready market for the content further growing content production.” StarTimes vice president for marketing Hans Han said that the company has pre-licensed an array of shows that will air between now and December this year. “Star Swahili goes live immediately and promises an unrivaled mix of Kiswahili movies, series, drama, comedy, documentaries, celebrity lifestyles and talk show,” Han said. The channel will be available on all the StarTimes bouquet options including the basic that retails at KSh499 monthly with the company eyeing growth in similar channel options in the future which will include other Kenyan dialect as well. The company is also looking into setting up the Group’s Africa Headquarters and Dubbing center for film and broadcast television in Kenya at a cost of KSh6.9B which upon completion will equally become a complete production center of clip selecting, dubbing, broadcast and copyright trading further growing local content and talent development in the country. Star Times will also introduce a sports channel, StarTimes Sport 2, which will become the seventh sports channel of over 70 channels available on the Pay Television platform.
