About two weeks ago, K24 launched a new show called Talk Central, hosted by Eric Njoka and airing every Thursday night. The debut episode featured Sharon Mundia and social media personality @Xtiandela.
K24's decision to air the show on Thursdays may be an attempt to avoid competing directly with Larry Madowo's show, The Trend, which airs on Fridays. By airing a day earlier, K24 hopes to capitalize on trending topics before The Trend covers them.
Larry Madowo recently wrote an opinion piece in the Daily Nation, titled 'Monkey see, monkey do: Kenyan copycats killed creative industry', in which he discusses the launch of Talk Central and other copycat shows. Although he does not mention Eric Njoka by name, it is clear that Madowo is criticizing the proliferation of similar shows.
In his article, Madowo expresses frustration with the lack of originality in Kenya's creative industry, citing the numerous proposals for Malia Obama's hand in marriage as an example of unoriginal thinking. He also mentions the success of The Trend, which he hosts, and how other TV stations have attempted to replicate its format.
Madowo's criticism of copycat shows is not limited to the entertainment industry. He also discusses the tendency to copy successful business ideas, such as the Simu Ya Jamii micro-businesses, without considering their long-term viability.
On his Facebook page, Madowo revealed that he had initially called out his competitors by name in his article, but the editors softened the language before publication. One commenter responded by telling Madowo not to get ahead of himself, as copycat behavior is common everywhere.
