The Broadcasters Convention – East Africa 2026 opened yesterday with a packed inaugural programme at the Emara Ole-Sereni Hotel, marking the fifth edition of the region’s most significant gathering of broadcast and digital media professionals.
Hosted by the Association of Professional Broadcasters – Kenya (APB-KE) and co-convened by Broadcast Media Africa (BMA) in partnership with the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), the convention this year convenes under the theme “Reimagining Next: AI, Cloud, and the Future of Broadcast Media in Africa.”
Day one drew broadcasters, regulators, content creators, OTT platform operators, and technology vendors from across East Africa and beyond, setting the stage for a three-day programme built around the industry’s most urgent priorities. Streamed live on KBC Channel 1, the opening session underscored the growing regional appetite for a shared, solutions-focused platform as audience behaviours and the competitive landscape continue to evolve rapidly.
Themes Shaping Day One
Discussions on the opening day spanned the full breadth of the convention’s six core thematic pillars, with particular energy around the integration of artificial intelligence into newsrooms and production pipelines, as well as the transition toward hybrid distribution architectures.
Key areas addressed included:
• Hybrid Distribution and Infrastructure Resilience — the shift from single-channel delivery to integrated multi-platform ecosystems encompassing satellite, OTT, cloud, and FAST channels.
• AI-Assisted Production and Newsroom Automation — governance, ethics, and the practical implementation of AI tools in African broadcast environments, including real-world case studies from across the continent.
• Content Protection and Anti-Piracy — enforcement frameworks, watermarking technology, and the coordinated industry response to the escalating threat of organised digital piracy.
• Advertising and Subscription Innovation — reviewing AVOD, FAST, and hybrid monetisation models specifically tailored to the realities of African media markets.
Content Marketplace — A New Chapter for African Storytelling
A landmark feature of this year’s edition is the inaugural Content Marketplace – East Africa, a dedicated platform facilitating the buying, selling, and co-production of African content. Embedded within the convention floor, the Marketplace is designed to serve as a vital bridge between regional creators and international distributors, with the stated aim of stimulating the creative economy and ensuring high-quality, locally produced storytelling reaches audiences across DTT, OTT, and mobile platforms both within the continent and internationally.
“As audiences continue to evolve alongside technological advancements, the Broadcasters Convention – East Africa exists to give industry leaders the knowledge, connections, and strategic clarity to shape what comes next. Today’s opening demonstrated exactly why this platform matters for the region,” Nonku Mkhize, GM of Broadcast Media Africa.
Partners and Sponsors
The Broadcasters Convention – East Africa 2026 is supported by: Lawo, RT, France 24, Etere, Sputnik, Viory, SES, and Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).
What to Expect on Days Two and Three
The convention continues on Wednesday, 27 and Thursday, 28 May, with sessions devoted to secure and compliant broadcast infrastructure, satellite distribution innovation, and the evolving regulatory landscape for digital media across East Africa. The Content Marketplace will remain open throughout, offering delegates and exhibitors ongoing opportunities to forge new partnerships and content deals.
About Broadcast Media Africa (BMA)
Broadcast Media Africa is the continent’s leading broadcast industry intelligence and events platform, dedicated to keeping industry stakeholders abreast of opportunities in technology and service innovations shaping Africa’s broadcasting and media industry.
BMA co-convenes the Broadcasters Convention – East Africa alongside the Association of Professional Broadcasters – Kenya (APB-KE) and the Media Council of Kenya (MCK).
