BBC puts $10m in studios to employ 200 staff

President Uhuru Kenyatta addressing British investors in a London hotel. (Photo: PSCU)

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is investing nearly $10m in modern multimedia production studios in Kenya, which will help create 250 new jobs, a senior editor has told President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Internship and mentoring

Two hundred of the jobs will go to Kenyans, and, additionally, the investment will provide an internship and mentoring programme for upcoming journalists, digital and technical producers, Editor Solomon Mugera told the President in a briefing note yesterday.

“From Nairobi the BBC will work with local broadcasters and independent production companies to create local and regional content across various genres, including business and health,” the briefing note said.

“The international broadcaster is also introducing six new language services: three of them Amharic, Afaan Oromo and Tigrinya will be produced in Nairobi for audiences in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

The BBC already produces Kiswahili and Somali programmes from its bureau in Nairobi.

The other three new languages - Yoruba, Igbo and Pidgin will be based in Lagos, Nigeria,” the note added.

President Kenyatta commended the BBC for its newest investment in Kenya and said the move was right since the country is known for its thriving democracy, which guarantees a free and robust media; skilled talent in the media and the arts and unmatched ICT infrastructure on the continent.

Destination of choice

“We have made massive investments in infrastructure that make us the investment destination of choice for many and we are elated that the BBC is making these giant steps that will lead to employment of some of Kenya’s talent,” the President said. The President is in the UK for a conference on Somalia.