Maanzoni Lodge, Machakos County

March 7, 2021

Good afternoon colleagues.

We, members of the Kenya Media Sector Working Group, have met at Maanzoni Lodge since Friday, March 5, 2021 and discussed a number of matters relating to enhancing media sustainability in Kenya.

The meeting, convened by the Kenya Editors’ Guild and the Kenya Union of Journalists with the support of partners including FHI, Internews and Media Council of Kenya, sought to discuss key issues affecting the media industry, including the coverage and reporting of the forthcoming referendum and how to address the emerging challenges facing the media industry.

We have to this end resolved as follows:

1. THAT media stakeholders familiarize themselves with the Guidelines on Effective and Ethical Reporting during the upcoming referendum.

2. THAT the Government considers including journalists in the list of the first phase priority groups receiving Covid-19 vaccine given that journalists are frontline workers and essential service providers.

3. THAT the effects of the proliferation of Big-Tech international firms such as Google, and Facebook on the space of journalism need to be urgently addressed through legislative and policy reforms to ensure that value generated from journalism and media work is paid for.

4. THAT journalists should be adequately compensated for their labour. This require the development of acceptable pay scales that take into consideration the needs of journalists. Journalists constitute the key resource that media houses need to operate and, consequently, their needs must be addressed regardless of the prevailing financial or economic challenges.

5. THAT the retrenchment of journalists, and imposition of pay cuts in some media houses are not sustainable and will have long-term effects on the place, roles and responsibilities of the media in an information society.

6. THAT The media needs to conduct a self-audit in newsrooms on the skillsets available and those that are needed. It is concerning that newsroom strength is impacted by the decreased number of journalists as a result of layoffs.

7. THAT The media should be supported to survive the ravages of COVID-19 and economic downturn. Support in the form of tax cuts or holidays, suspension of licence fees and other levies is necessary to ensure the media survives and continues to serve public interest without fear or favour.

8. THAT a Media Fund is necessary to guarantee consistent and continued availability of independent and diverse media. We have committed to work with Parliament to come up with a law to establish an independent and progressive Media Fund.

9. THAT there is need to ensure journalists are adequately trained to prepare them for the new norm engendered by technology disruption and COVID-19. Accordingly, there should be continuous professional development to ensure journalists are aware and capable of delivering on evolving responsibilities. This would also promote public confidence in the media given the unethical behaviour of some journalists, and also help them build capacity on emerging complex subjects.

10. THAT more women should be recruited into journalism to ensure the media provides equal opportunity and space for both men and women. This requires affirmative action to urgently remedy the gender skew.

11. THAT a sector-wide intervention to address any sexual harassment within the media space be urgently undertaken.

12. THAT the legal, policy and regulatory regime ought to be reexamined to protect the media independence and enhance press freedom and freedom of expression.

13. THAT to reenergize the sector and address the recommendations an interim Media Steering Committee has been selected to lead the Kenya Media Stakeholders

Working Group. The committee comprises:

1. Kenya Editors’ Guild

2. Kenya Union of Journalists

3. Article 19 East Africa

4. Media Council of Kenya

5. Kenya Community Media Network

6. Digital Broadcasters Association

7. Association of Media Women in Kenya

A detailed list of recommendations will be released on March 9, 2021 for enrichment through public participation and inclusivity.

This statement is issued on March 7, 2021 by the following organisations under the cover of the Kenya Media Stakeholders Working Group:

1. Kenya Editors’ Guild

2. Kenya Union of Journalists

3. Article 19 Eastern Africa

4. Media Council of Kenya

5. Kenya Correspondents Association

6. Internews Kenya

7. Association of Media Women in Kenya

8. Defenders Coalition – Kenya.

9. Political Journalists Association of Kenya

10. Kenya Parliamentary Journalists Association

11. Kenya Environment and Science Journalists Association

12. Digital Broadcasters Association

13. Journalists for Human Rights

14. Association of Freelance Journalists

15. Kenya Community Media Network

16. Association of Devolution Journalists

17. Journalists for Human Rights