This archive report was first published on 26 June 2020.
June 26, 2020
Journalists in Kenya are facing unprecedented challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic ravages the media industry. Never before has the profession been so uncertain and devastated, with many facing layoffs, pay cuts, or working in conditions rife with job insecurity.
Experts predict that some industries will never return to pre-coronavirus levels, and some businesses might never recover. However, the media industry's success or failure has far-reaching consequences, affecting democracy, political choices, socio-economic status, and the quality of our lives.
According to McKinsey & Company, a management consulting firm, leaders must ask themselves tough questions, including 'What went wrong?' and 'Why did we refuse to evolve our business models?' This pandemic may be a teachable moment for leadership to make tough calls about shifting business models and crisis preparedness.
As media leaders scramble to put out fires and stay afloat, it's essential to reflect on the state of media leadership in Kenya. A redundancy letter is not a statement of one's abilities or an indictment of them. It's a rejection that is not personal and should not define one's talents or future.
The views expressed in this column are those of the writer, the director of the Innovation Centre at Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media and Communications.
