William Ruto Directs All Gov't Ministries to Advertise Online to Empower Kenyan Creatives
- President William Ruto has directed a model of advertisement that tends to hurt the traditional media
- Ruto instructed all government ministries and departments to consider advertising through the online media
- He said such a model is aimed at empowering Kenyan creatives and bolstering their content to be weighted on the big tech platforms, where they can earn more
Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
President William Ruto has sanctioned measures to step up the digital economy to empower the Kenyan content creators.
Source: Twitter
He announced a government advertising model that might deal a blow to the Kenyan mainstream media, which has, in the recent past, grappled with revenue streams.
Where Ruto's government will advertise heavily on
Speaking on Saturday, August 16, at the Sagana State Lodge, where he graced the 97th Kenya Music Festival State Concert, Ruto restated his commitment to ramp up the digital economy as one of the solutions to unemployment.
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He ordered all the ministries and state departments to advertise heavily through the online media.
This, he said, would reinforce the economic wellness of Kenyans, leveraging the content creation channels to eke a living.
Such an investment would give prominence to the Kenyan content, hence intensifying the scope of payouts from the big tech companies like Meta and Google.
"I have directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to prioritise advertising on digital platforms to grow our digital economy, create jobs, and increase income for our creatives. This is the context: The more we advertise online, the higher our content is weighted, and the more our creatives will earn. We have no excuse not to advertise online," he said.
Details of William Ruto's trip to US
At the same time, the head of state revealed his plans to engage the global tech companies to negotiate viable terms for the Kenyan content creators.
Ruto is set to leave the country next month for the United States.
The Kenyan head of state will be attending the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Source: Twitter
He said he would seize the trip to mobilise support for the Kenyan creatives.
How Ruto will use his US trip to benefit Kenyan creatives
Ruto stated his intention to engage with the big tech companies' representatives to negotiate gainful terms for Kenyans uploading on their platforms.
Meta is among the companies the president will target during his tour.
He would seek to have the company integrate local mobile money platforms to make it easier and cheaper for the Kenyan content creators to process their payouts after monetising content.
He will also engage representatives from Google and its subsidiaries on the possibility of integrating M-Pesa on its money trail.
Further, Ruto revealed he would be meeting with the Recording Academy, organisers of the Grammy Awards, in efforts to push for the establishment of world-class studios in Nairobi in anticipation of hosting an edition of the Grammy Awards in the city.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
