With marketing friendly pitch at the switch of a button rending the air, Kenya on Wednesday turned another decisive chapter in its quest to join the fast lane of the technological age.

The shift from analogue to digital broadcasting signals may not have been marked with the fanfare that would characterise a similar milestone in the well funded corporate sector especially this close to the festive season.

But its life changing credentials will in a couple of years be felt in every household, across sectors and be celebrated by future generations who will not comprehend the limitations analogue technologies placed on communications; much the same way we now can't recall life without mobile phones.

Just to put it into perspective, Kenya becomes the second nation in Africa to migrate from analogue to digital broadcast after South Africa whose migration was accelerated by the FIFA World Cup finals to be held next year.

Globally, it is hailed as the biggest technology shift of TV broadcast after the colour television.

In terms of contribution to economic growth it will see the contribution of ICT move from 2.8 per cent to eight per cent by the time the phased switch-over is completed in 2012 at a cost of $60 million (Sh4.5 billion), most of it incurred by national broadcaster KBC in laying out the digital infrastructure.

Households will also chip in through the purchase of set top boxes that help convert analogue signals into digital form of a standard MPEG 4 DVB -T for which the government has promised to extend tax concessions.

But even before the nature and impact of tax concessions is established, the investments are a small price to pay for a whole new world of possibilities in the entertainment, education, health and tourism sectors that the digital transmission of images portends.

The change over promises to transform the media scene irreversibly, turning the tables in favour of audiences over what to watch and when.

While broadcasters will have their usual programming viewers and listeners will have the option to watch a preferred programme while recording another, even when away, for future review.

For those in the diaspora, this could be a look back to two decades ago but in a country where about 12 per cent of the population own television sets this represents a major break from the past.

What this means is that the duplicative investments in broadcasting infrastructure witnessed in the recent past will no longer give the same competitive edge they used to, making providing relevant content the key determinant of who captures the audience and with it, wins captive businesses like advertising.

The challenge to enjoying the benefits that the new age promises therefore lies in generating content.

In it, however, lies an opportunity for the creative types across all fields to conceptualise new ideas that can be packaged and stored in any digital form for transmission to a mass or niche audience.

As the country reels from the effects of prolonged drought and public funds for affirmative programmes like Kazi kwa Vijana, youth and women kitties; and constituency development fund come increasingly under pressure an opportunity for talented individual and organised groups to wear their thinking hats, swing into action and offer materials for airing on the channels, that are expected to grow spontaneously.

The migration will at a go end the long wait for TV licences by 60 investors and that of another 150 applicants for fm radio.

It is such job creating opportunities that the agencies - Digital Kenya, KBC and the Communications Commission of Kenya - overseeing the change over need to sensitise the public on.

The agencies also need to be ready for the falling out expected to ensue as winners and losers emerge from the change over.

Already, some speculative traders who had imported set top boxes in anticipation of windfall gains when the change over is effected are crying foul but such sobs from businesses protecting self interest should not be allowed to hold back the country from a change that heralds efficient delivery of information across the entire economy.