This archive report was first published on 9 June 2020.
On June 5, 2020, the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) made a crucial decision to waive quarterly media subscription fees until October 2020, a move aimed at cushioning media houses from the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the MCK, the waiver is valued at Ksh10 million and is intended to help lighten the financial burden on media houses. The decision was reached during a Special Council Meeting on Friday, June 5, 2020, where the governing body of the MCK reviewed the regulator’s COVID-19 mitigation measures for the media sector and approved the waiver affecting the last quarter of the financial year 2019/20 (April – June 2020) and the first quarter of the financial year 2020/21 (July – September 2020).
Media houses have been facing a double blow from advertising and reduced circulation of newspapers caused by restricted movements in high-risk regions such as Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kwale. The MCK has implemented a raft of measures to cushion the sector, including the provision of health reporting grants to journalists, direct support to media associations and support groups, and the provision of a historic Ksh100 million grant to community media.
Media Council Chief Executive Officer David Omwoyo says the waiver of the subscription fees is part of the MCK’s efforts to provide assistance where possible and engender a conducive operating environment for media enterprises across the country.
As the media sector continues to grapple with the effects of the pandemic, the MCK’s waiver is seen as a welcome relief for media houses. The waiver is a testament to the MCK’s commitment to supporting the media industry during these challenging times.
