Politicians Owning Media Houses Urged to Pay Journalists

Media Council of Kenya chief executive officer, Mr David Omwoyo said the eruption of extortionists in the media industry is due to lack of salaries from media houses especially those owned by politicians.

“To politicians who open media houses around campaigns, why do you stop paying journalists after the polls yet they have families to feed?  Journalists are really crying.  If you open a media house and recruit people make sure that they earn otherwise they become extortionists. You saw last week we canceled accreditation cards to deal with this matter,” he said.

However, some of the MPs shouted saying the contract ends after the polls.

Mr Omwoyo warned of dwindling fortunes in the traditional media houses due to digital space that has taken over the industry.

“There is a massive layout of journalists in top media houses. Journalists have not been paid for months including Radio Africa and Standard Media Group. Journalists need to be paid, do not use them during campaigns only to drop them after you have been elected,” said Mr Omwoyo.

Speaking during the ongoing post-election seminar with MPs in Mombasa, Mr Omwoyo said over a period of 10 years, Kenya’s media space has grown from nine Television stations to more than 190 and from 30 newspapers to more than 200.

Currently, there are 267 TV stations including international media and 180 to 300 radios.

“However upto 30 radios have been shut down due to the economic situation. You understand that there are massive layoffs in the media. ,” said Mr Omwoyo.

He said the consumption trends of Kenyans have shifted with less than 21 percent of Kenyans reading newspapers. Mr Omwoyo decried too much sex talk in the media houses singling out the patanisho show (Radio Jmabo) and betting in other media houses.

“There is not much content, there is too much betting and sex talk in our media houses, this goes to MPs, do something. Betting is almost a livelihood, in some parts people fuliza to bet then pray and fast to win, those are things we are dealing with,” he added.

He urged the legislatures to pump funds into KBC to resuscitate the state broadcaster saying it is in dire need.

“We need to reflect on the sustainability of media houses. We are facing a second round of layoffs beginning this month, most leading has not paid journalists up to six months and I mean Standard Group and Radio Africa which explains the extortionist,” said Mr Omwoyo.