This archive report was first published on 28 June 2020.
On June 28, 2020, Kenya's top editors called for an urgent meeting of stakeholders to discuss the state of the media in the Covid-19 period and develop joint approaches to solve problems facing the industry.
More than 300 journalists have lost their jobs in the past nine months, and the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) argues that the pandemic is likely to exacerbate an already dire situation.
Media houses have been laying off journalists and support staff, enforcing pay cuts, and implementing austerity measures that are unfair to those affected, KEG expressed concern.
"We understand that some of these measures, however painful, are absolutely necessary during a period of drastic decline in revenues," KEG said in a statement signed by its executive council.
KEG wants the stakeholders to push for the establishment of a Media Sustainability Fund to help the industry survive the crisis, similar to funds already in operation in Europe, the United States, and some African countries.
They also want the national and county governments to make good on pending bills owed to the media houses, waive licensing fees and signal carriage fees, and offer tax incentives for the media industry.
