This archive report was first published on 2 July 2020.
On June 24, 2020, K24 TV instructed its staff to accept a 50% pay cut, but some employees took the media house to court over the retroactive nature of the move. They won.
However, the media house, owned and run by Mediamax, went on to retrench everyone who refused to agree with the decision, leaving only a handful of reporters and journalists. The new staff they poached has raised questions about their loyalty to the company.
Former K24 employees, including Eric Njoka and Karen Knaust, have re-emerged with their own media company, a move that has sparked debate about the best approach to working with employers.
Journalists at NTV, KTN, Radio Africa, and KBC often take personal offense when netizens call out their employers online. However, the reality is that it's a simple business interaction. The best approach is to let go of emotions and focus on doing one's job well.
As K24's saga shows, comfort is one of the worst things that can belie a business transaction of employment nature. When the employer decides your services are no longer needed, the switch is clinical and devoid of emotions.
