At the recently concluded Broadcasters Convention – East Africa 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya, Susan Karago, Council Member of the Media Council of Kenya highlighted the importance of adopting “smart archiving” practices to ensure media assets remain accessible, searchable, and valuable over time.
Addressing delegates from across the broadcasting and media sectors, Karago emphasised that effective digital archiving extends far beyond simply storing content. Instead, it requires a strategic combination of human expertise, technological innovation, and operational efficiency.
According to Karago, the foundation of any successful smart archive begins with accurate data entry and metadata management. She noted that proper tagging of content at the point of ingestion is essential to maintaining the integrity and usability of digital archives.
She further explained that modern smart archiving systems employ tiered accessibility models, enabling frequently used content to remain readily available while less-accessed material is securely stored in secondary repositories. This approach improves efficiency while optimising storage resources.
Karago also highlighted the growing role of cloud technologies and application programming interfaces (APIs) in modern archive management. These technologies help automate workflows, improve metadata accuracy, and ensure content is correctly classified from the beginning of its lifecycle.
In addition to preserving content, smart archiving systems can deliver broader business benefits. Karago pointed to enhanced search capabilities, multilingual content discovery, and improved Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) as key advantages that enable organisations to maximise the value of their digital assets.
“Archives should not be viewed as static storage facilities,” she noted. “When properly managed, they become dynamic resources that support content discovery, operational efficiency, and long-term organisational growth.”
Industry stakeholders attending the convention agreed that as media libraries continue to expand, intelligent archiving solutions will play an increasingly important role in helping broadcasters preserve content, improve accessibility, and unlock new opportunities for content utilisation.
The discussion was part of the broader conversations at the Broadcasters Convention – East Africa 2026, which brought together broadcasters, regulators, technology providers, and media professionals to explore the future of broadcasting and digital media across the region.
To view Ms Karago’s insight, please click HERE.
