Thursday, May 17, 2007

Eye on media

There's a new magazine on the streets called ET - or Expression Today edited by David Makali that takes alook at happenings in the media industry.

- Nation: A look back at W. Kiboro’s tenure, the bungled staff retrenchment program that led to internet e-mail & rumours, how NMG got TV licence from a reluctant President Moi, challenges faced in launching the business daily and an indepth look at the problems they have faced with staff in Tanzania and a TV licence in Uganda
- Standard How KTN has slipped behind NTV in latest TV
rankings (from Steadman), why Katherine Kasavuli, Swaleh Mdoe, and Louis Otieno left and the staff revolt that followed, rumor of interest from Transcentury or foreign investors, a quote by Kwamchetsi Makokha on how the standard shareholders brought in dream team (including himself) to spruce it up for a sale. But once the paper was
turned round, they decided not to sell it anymore - and got rid of the dream team
got rid of the dream team.
- Royal media: management triumph over editorial desk has handciapped the Leader newspaper
- Kenya Times: Ruto takeover being rebuffed
- KISS newspaper - what it's outlook & potential
- KBC interference and cash flow problems
- Business magazine Market intelligence is no more
- Other media issues like poor staff pay at the Nation, how financial muscle (Uchumi, Samuel Gichuru & KCB) gets negative stories killed in the editorial room, and recap of the Artur raid saga.

It's a great read for 100/=

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Banks,

ET is actually not a new newspaper. It had been there for some time under Makali's editoship before he went to edit the Sunday Standard. It died without his hand to guide it, bit it is and was always a good rag to read the inside scoop on those who give us the inside scoops.

Jakarumba said...

Banks, the storos sound too juicy and very very insider. I have to grab a copy for the weekend. I think the fact that its Makali editing gives it alot of credibility.

Acolyte said...

Makali has always churned out good copy, shame I am abroad otherwise I would have snapped up a copy real fast.
As for Market Intelligence, I didnt have a high impression of the dude who ran it (story for another day) and anyway running a magazine in Kenya. it is very hard to make a profit unless you compromise on quality which doesnt always work depending on the demographic you are looking at.

Anonymous said...

i bought ET and totally love it. The thing beats tabloid stories kabisa they are addictive!!!

Can't wait for next edition. I think i love Gossip

bankelele said...

Anon: I did not know that, that's the first issue i've seen. will look out for older ones

Jakarumba: you won't regret it, though am sure someone will give him a job back at a big media house to get him to stop publishing ET

Acolyte: He had a rough time at Standard and was hauled before CID over several stories. It's a great mag, but should have a web presence in future. Magazine publishing seems to get tougher each year, but it seems there are 2 new localy produced magazines for each one that goes under. MI attributed the high cost of printing in SA (¤cy) as a factor in the closure

Shiroh: I saw it by accident on Saturday and have read it all the same afternoon. Hope they don't fizzle out.

Anonymous said...

Et was online back in the 90's. i remember he was kidnapped for doing reports on drug trafficking esp after he fingered Gumo for being one of the largest drug kingpins...

its also had inside info on the land clashes back then and the election reporting too.

im trying to find it in archive.org
the internet wayback machine

Anonymous said...

dug up something
http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/99-2NRsummer99/Wanene.html
and interesting in the context of kenyas politics today.

Anonymous said...

How long will the stories be able to sustain the magazine? Why do people buy mags? To get an interesting read worth their cash. I haven't read it yet, I would love to but I think shortly it will become like a gossip mag for the media. Where Luois Otieno hangs out and such things which are not so different from Buzz or Pulse! Depressing!

mmnjug said...

The effort by Makali is commendable. Lets hope that he will keep it running and no big media house will entice him to rejoin their ranks. We have a society that is averse to scrutiny.
click to http://assidous.blogspot.com

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