NMG Clarifies Reports of Firing 600 Employees

Nation Media Group headquartered in Nairobi's city centre has refuted claims it is planning to declare redundancies in its workforce. 

A memo dated February 5, which has since been flagged as a fake, indicated that about 600 staffers across the departments would be sent home due to a purported disruption in its advertisement models thus hurting revenues.

Those affected would be out of the company by April this year, the memo stated.

However, in a special report on its Friday evening bulletin, the media house explained that the communication was being advanced by online warriors recruited by unnamed forces to taint the company's image.

Presenting the clarification, anchor Dan Mwangi said the viral memo was part of the agenda launched in the recent past to counter the NMG's latest resolve to exhibit the rot in the Kenya Kwanza administration.

"For the last few days, we have witnessed a well-coordinated vicious, malicious and unsubstantiated online campaign against the NMG. The cyber warriors crafted a fake letter alleging up to 600 NMG employees would be declared redundant by April this year," stated Mwangi.

June 2023 was the last time NMG undertook layoffs.

The group's editorial director Joe Ageyo met with staff at the time during which he made the communication.

Sources at Twin Towers revealed that the staff were required to consult with line supervisors to establish if they were still needed by the company.

A source further divulged that the staff would likely start receiving their letters on Thursday.

The restructuring came six months after the company sacrificed big names in its restructuring plan.

The sack saw big names such as Former NTV news anchor Mark Maasai shown the door.

Another journalist who was sent home was investigative journalist and editor Dennis Okari.

Legendary former editor at Daily Nation who also worked as President of Kenya's Editors Guild Churchill Otieno was also sent home.

The media industry has been facing a huge challenge on revenue with most of the products witnessing a significant drop.

The government's move to withdraw advertisements dealt a blow to the media industry.