TV47 is a TV channel based in Kenya, owned by Cape Media Limited. It is licensed by the Communication Authority of Kenya (CAK) and is an affiliate of Mount Kenya University (MKU). It was launched in 2019 by Eugene Anangwe, the Chief Executive Officer.
Its broadcast is in two official languages, English and Kiswahili. TV47 is a late entrant in the mass media market in Kenya that has over 50 TV stations.
Background
The station started as Lemigo TV in Kigali, Rwanda in 2014. Upon acquisition by Cape Media Ltd, the TV station was domiciled at a sister institution, Mount Kenya University (Rwanda), and changed its name to Royal TV.
Royal TV under Mount Kenya University-Rwanda shifted its broadcast dynamics from commercial to a practical tool for training students in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication.
When it left the Rwandan market for Kenya, it changed its name to TV47.
TV47 broadcasts news and entertainment programs. These include soaps, political and entertainment talk shows, and live events.
Who Owns TV47?
The free-to-air 24-hour TV channel is the property of Nairobi-based businessman and Mount Kenya University founder, Prof. Simon Gicharu.
Gicharu’s story is one of grass to grace. Those who know him from earlier days said he shot from a milk vendor to one of the country’s renowned billionaires.
Simon Gicharu was born in 1964 in Gathiruini village in Kiambu County and is the firstborn in a family of seven.
Gicharu’s parents and his siblings worked on coffee farms to make a living. Being the eldest child instilled discipline and drive for achievement.
Educational Background
The tycoon was a student of Kiawairia Primary School and later Gathiruini Secondary School. This was before he assumed leadership as the captain at Murang’a High School.
Gicharu later joined Kenyatta University to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics & Chemistry.
He undertook his further studies in Managing Enterprise Development at Cranfield University in Britain through a scholarship in 1995.
After returning home, he established the Kenya Entrepreneurship Promotion Program (KEPP) which later evolved into the Thika School of Management Studies (TSMS).
This venture laid the foundation of Mount Kenya University (MKU) which was established in 2008. It attained full charter status 3 years later, earning the status of a distinguished institution of higher learning.
Gicharu’s Appointments
Gicharu has held key government positions including being the Chair of the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation and the National Private Universities Owners Association of Kenya.
His influence cuts across the board including being a board member of Thika Water and Sewerage Company. He is also the patron of Inter Universities Rover Moot under the Kenya Scouts Association.
He has been recognized internationally for his entrepreneurial prowess and was honored as the Eastern African Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2015).
In October 2023, the MKU founder was appointed as the Chairperson of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) by President Ruto.
The Future of Media
TV47 has studios in Nairobi and Mombasa. However, it has invested in modern equipment to deliver news and other programs to its audience across 47 counties.
The station has grown steadily over the years and attracted top talents from other TV stations including Mwashumbe, Betty Kyalo, and Lolani Kalu.
A recent survey by a media audience research firm shows that its audience is between the 15–34 years age group. It is also available, on several platforms.
Radio47 was launched in March 2023 and has also garnered a significant following.
