Films board caps airtime for alcohol and contraceptive ads

Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) chief executive officer Ezekiel Mutua (right) at KFCB offices. FILE PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • KFCB CEO Ezekiel Mutua stated that only government lotteries and contraceptives with public health safety messages are allowed to air during the watershed period.
  • The guidelines also restrict billboards from placing offensive images that are nude or semi-nude or appear demeaning to gender, race, religion, culture or tribe.
  • Some offensive billboards spotted on the streets will also be marked for demolition within 14 days of advertising agencies being alerted.

Advertisements on betting, alcohol and select contraceptives have been classified as unsuitable for watershed periods in new Kenya Films Classifications Board (KFCB) guidelines that came into effect Tuesday.

Watershed is the period between 5 am to 10 pm when children are assumed to be awake and exposed to television programming.

KFCB states that broadcasters and companies placing the adverts against the dictates of the law shall be penalised at least sh500,000 which could stretch to tens of millions depending on the offense.

KFCB CEO Ezekiel Mutua stated that only government lotteries and contraceptives with public health safety messages are allowed to air during the watershed period.

“These guidelines have been developed with due regard to the dictates of Cap 222 of the Films and Stage Plays Act….KFCB has also made keen reference to the Kenya Information and Communications Act (KICA),” said Mr Mutua.

Communications Authority (CA) Director – General Francis Wangusi said it works together with KFCB to ensure good content is aired on broadcast platforms.

“KFCB has jurisdiction over classification of content, our mandate starts with those content going on air whether on Tv or radio, we depend on KFCB ratings for that, said Mr Wangusi.

“Our licenses have sanctions tagged along, if the broadcaster is consistently contravening regulations then we can go ahead and withdraw the license as the last resort.”

The guidelines also restrict billboards from placing offensive images that are nude or semi-nude or appear demeaning to gender, race, religion, culture or tribe.

The films board has stated that some offensive billboards spotted on the streets will be marked for demolition within 14 days of the advertising agencies being alerted.

KFCB has been aggressive on content regulation with Coca-Cola being forced to edit out a kissing scene on a TV advert following the films board’s intervention.

Mr Mutua claimed the scene was offensive to family values and prompted the organisation to either have it edited or banned.

YouTube has also faced KFCB's wrath when it was ordered to remove a music video with a strong same-sex relationship theme on “moral grounds”.