[Imc-africa] licensing -- what's the current status?

[andy gunn]

hello jay and everybody, sorry i have been quiet on this issue for a little while 
- i have been traveling and haven't had as much access to my email and the 
internet in general as i would have liked.  can someone please translate this if 
they get the chance?  i am writing this in "offline" mode right now - so i can't 
use any of those fancy online translation tools right now.

i looked up a few things about radio licensing in kenya.  it is all handled by the 
kenya communications commission, similar to what many countries have to regulate 
the phone companies, broadcast stations, cellular networks, and so on.  i have 
consolidated some of the information from their website and attached it to this 
email.  one is the actual application for a broadcast license, the "station 
application.  it consists of mostly technical questions, and i think i can figure 
out most of those, or we can figure them out when we know what equipment we will have.

the other document has information on the procedure for getting a license, the 
fees, and a list of radio stations in nairobi and kisumu.  the big point in this 
document that everyone should read over is this line from the procedures for 
applying section:
(i) Applicants for broadcasting frequency must be in possession of a broadcasting 
permit issued by the Ministry of Information and communications. The permit 
specifies the type of broadcasting service and the authorized broadcast areas. The 
Commission does not accept applications from applicants failing to meet this 
requirement.

i see that as a big sticking point for a temporary license, as the ministry of 
information might not even give out temporary broadcasting licenses.  someone in 
kenya might have to investigate that sometime very soon, and let us know.  i am 
still trying to think up a way around this one - but i don't know very much about 
how broadcasting regulations work in kenya other that what i have compiled in 
these documents.  i hope they are helpful.  we should start looking into things 
with the ministry of information and the kenya communications commission as soon 
as possible.

if anyone is having trouble opening the pdf files, or if they look strange, let me 
know and i can put the information on the wiki, or send it in another format.

take care everyone!
-a


Jay wrote:
> Hi imc-africa,
> 
> [Sorry for being a typical american and only being able to write in 
> one language. :)]
> 
> Now that this great IMC/WSF convergence is actually going to happen 
> (yay!) and now that we have a couple grant applications out to raise 
> money to buy equipment for a low power radio station (yay!) we really 
> really need to pin down answers to questions about licensing low 
> power radio stations in Nairobi to figure out what we may face when 
> the station goes on air.  Hannah from Prometheus has been 
> communicating with Judith at Maseno about licensing issues for the 
> longer-term station at Maseno, so that discussion is moving forward, 
> but I really think we need to prioritize finding out more information 
> about the situation in Nairobi. (my apologies if this discussion has 
> already happened somewhere and/or this information already exists on the wiki.)
> 
> Questions:
> -- does anyone have a good sense of where we are with knowledge about 
> licensing issues relating to a temporary low power station in Nairobi?
> -- I remember some general information about radio licensing issues 
> in Kenya appeared either on this list? If anyone knows what I'm 
> talking about, could you resend it here and/or post it to the 
> wiki?  (john or sphinx, do you have any of this information?)
> -- Obviously the best case scenario would be for some kind of legal 
> licensing to work out so we can have the station on air for two weeks 
> without worries.  To have that happen, we have to find out what 
> paperwork we need to fill out and do it, if such paperwork even 
> exists.  John, what is your sense about the reaction authorities in 
> Nairobi may have if we go on air temporarily, of course without 
> stomping on any other radio station's signal, without having a 
> temporary license?
> 
> Remember, though they're willing to help when possible, figuring out 
> local licensing issues isn't something Prometheus is responsible for 
> doing, so getting that information is our general responsibility.
> 
> Certainly we don't want to jeopardize ourselves and the rest of the 
> imc convergence by putting up an unwelcome radio station, and in some 
> places authorities may not look too kindly on a radio station going 
> up, but in other cities having a low power radio station appear 
> temporarily is far down the rung of officials' major concerns.
> 
> cheers,
> Jay
> 
>   
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Imc-africa mailing list
> Imc-africa at lists.indymedia.org
> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-africa

-- 

--------------------------------------------------
|  Andy Gunn - Technical and Training Organizer  |
| Prometheus Radio Project - prometheusradio.org |
|    andy at prometheusradio.org   215-727-9620     |
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