This archive report was first published on 22 June 2020.
On June 21, 2020, Mediamax Network Limited, the parent company of K24 TV, sent a redundancy notice to its newsroom staff, citing a 50% pay cut as the reason for the layoffs.
According to sources, the entire newsroom, including top news anchors, reporters, and other staff, were let go, with only two employees spared. These two employees worked in the production department and had agreed to the pay cut terms.
"They let the entire newsroom go, from anchors to reporters to producers to news editors. Only two people who had given their consent to the 50% pay cut. They even laid off people who had accepted the 50% pay cut," stated a senior anchor at the station.
Some of the employees who lost their jobs include news anchors Sam Njoroge, Rose Gakuo, Fred Indimuli, Eric Njoka, Karen Karimi, Isabella Kituri, Nancy Onyancha, Caren Kibett, Shon Osimbo, Sara Adams, Joy Kariuki, Joab Mwaura, and Tony Khwalanda.
Earlier, Kenyans.co.ke had obtained a text message notice sent by the company's human resource department to the affected staff, inviting them to a meeting at Emory Hotel in Kileleshwa to discuss the redundancy notice.
The layoffs came barely a month after Betty Kyallo called it quits from the station during her popular Weekend with Betty show, noting that Saturday, May 30, was her last day at the broadcaster.
K24 TV anchor Isabela Kituri at Mediamax studios along Kijabe street, Nairobi.
