This archive report was first published on 22 April 2020.
As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the global economy, Nation Media Group (NMG) has started tightening its belt to reduce costs and adapt to the new normal.
According to a circular released by Editorial Director Mutuma Mathiu, the management has taken measures to reduce costs, including reducing newspaper pagination, moving most staff to work from home, and freezing employment.
However, the management has warned employees working from home to deliver beyond their expected output or face the sack. 'Ensure that if you are working from home, you are doing as much work, if not more, as you would ordinarily do,' Mathiu said in the circular.
The circular has stirred up fears of a layoff among NMG employees, who are already struggling with reduced productivity while working from home.
Mathiu acknowledged that times are hard, with circulation down and advertising bad. 'We have taken measures to reduce costs: editors are tightly managing pagination, we have frozen employment and every expense is being examined with care,' he said.
Meanwhile, Mathiu has informed contributors of a 40% cut in their pay, effective May 1, 2020. The circular also hinted at a radical change in how NMG newsroom works, with Mathiu saying, 'The world has changed, the workplace has changed. We are never going back to the past. How are we going to survive and be stronger in the post-COVID future? Give serious thought to this.'
Mathiu's circular has sparked a mix of reactions among NMG employees, with some expressing concerns about the impact of the pandemic on their jobs and others calling for innovation and adaptability in the face of the crisis.
As the pandemic continues to affect businesses globally, NMG's decision to tighten its belt and adapt to the new normal is a reflection of the challenges facing the media industry.
