A wave of lay-offs has hit the media industry in recent days with journalists drastically moving from being employed to totally unemployed with zero sources of income.
In a span of one week, Mediamax sacked about 100 journalists while Royal Media Services (RMS) followed suit by effecting redundancy notices to its staff.
Following the mass firing, ODM Communication Director Philip Etale has opened up about an experience a few years back when he was sacked from RMS without a valid reason.
In a thread of Tweets, Etale has recounted how the experience left him devasted as he cried at the Human Resource(HR) office thinking of how he would finance his bank loan with no source of income to look up to.
“When I was sacked from RMS a couple of years ago, for no reason at all, I shed a tear. This came at a time when I was financially low with a loan in the bank to service. I cried at the HR’s office. She said “I personally like you”. I went home, prayed to God. Today, I smile,” he tweeted.
Read: ODM Director Philip Etale Cries Out As He Loses Fourth Family Member In Two Weeks
Further, he continued documenting the days that followed after being sacked adding that he lost a number of friends and was treated like a stray dog with no shilling in his pocket for fare to and from town.
After the sack, I lost a number of friends. I was lonely. I was treated like a stray dog. I kept crying every time I missed appointments for lack of fare to town. My mother & dad stood with me (may they RIP). Today, I have hundreds of friends and millions of admirers #GodFirst
— Philip Etale (@EtalePhilip) June 23, 2020
Etale further faulted the media industry for only highlighting and giving accolades when hiring a person yet when they are shown the door, their lives become irrelevant as they wallow in pain and misery.
Media can sometimes be funny; how come when one is hired, they highlight it & give accolades. When one of their own walks down the aisle; they make it sweet entertainment news and the caster says “wow, that was fun”. But when one gets sacked, it is no news at all. Why?
— Philip Etale (@EtalePhilip) June 23, 2020
Among top media personalities to be sent home by RMS include Radio Citizen presenters Syombua Osiany, John Maloba and Himenigilder Mugeni. Hot 96 FM Presenter Nancy Wanjiku Karanja popularly known to her fans as Shix Kapienga is also said to have been laid off.
Read Also: Royal Media Services Fires Employees As Wave Of Layoffs Hits Kenyan Media Again
Syombua hosted Pambazuka from 4AM to 6AM while Kapienga, who doubles up as a comedian and actor, hosted Drop Zone on Hot 96 FM Monday to Thursday from 7PM to 10PM.
In 2016 Royal Media hit headlines after laying off dozens including top anchors and reporters in what the management termed as a restructuring move.
The Samuel Macharia-owned media house is the holding company for Citizen TV, Inooro TV and a number of vernacular radio stations.
Just like other players in the media industry, RMS has been greatly affected by the coronavirus pandemic that continues to take a toll on businesses in the country.
In March this year, Managing Director Wachira Waruru announced up to 30 per cent salary cuts as part of the company’s efforts to stay afloat as the pandemic effects continue to eat into its profits.
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