Royal Media Services has brought Nation Media Group almost to its knees by [poaching tow more of its best journalists.
The latest beneficiaries of Royal Media predatory advances are NTV news and features reporter Enock Sikolia and Swahili news anchor Rashid Abdallah. Sikolia, an award-winning journalist, joined Citizen few weeks ago and is already reporting for the station, which is the leading in viewership.
Rashid is expected to debut on the screen anytime as Citizen hammers together a strong team of presenters and reporters. At Citizen, Rashid will work alongside his wife, Lulu Hassan.
NTV general manager Linus Kaikai left in February under a cloud of mystery, touching off a massive exit that has seen a number of journalists bolt out. They include newly appointed NTV editor Pamela Asigi and Swahili news anchor Jamila Mohamed who followed Linus Kaikai to Citizen TV. Controversial anchor Larry Madowo followed closely, joining BBC as head of business desk for Africa.
According to Business Today, NTV is considering rehiring some of the TV journalists it sent home in the January restructuring. They include Emmanuel Juma from Red Cross TV, which he joined soon after being retrenched from Nation Media, as well as Ken Mureithi and Vincent Odour.
Nation Media Group board chairman has sought to reassure its staff and investors that everything is being done to ensure stability. Addressing staff on Thursday June 7th while unveiling new CEO Stephen Gitagama, Mr Wilfred Kiboro said there would be no more retrenchment and asked staff to focus on restoring NMG’s dwindling reputation. He ruled out pay increase due to the company’s low earnings.
Sources at Nation Center, however, say the company could be organizing a surprise pay review come next month to excite staff who the board chairman acknowledged were demotivated.
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