Eye on media

ET: There’s a new magazine on the streets called ET – or Expression Today edited by David Makali that takes a look 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 a TV licence from a reluctant President Moi, challenges faced in launching the business daily and an in-depth 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 the latest TV rankings (from Steadman), why Katherine Kasavuli, Swaleh Mdoe, and Louis Otieno left and the staff revolt that followed, a 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.
  • Royal media: management triumph over editorial desk has handicapped the Leader newspaper.
  • Kenya Times: Ruto takeover being rebuffed.
  • KISS newspaper – what its 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 a recap of the Artur raid saga.

It’s a great read for 100/=.

9 thoughts on “Eye on media”

  1. Anonymous

    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.

  2. Jakarumba

    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.

  3. Acolyte

    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.

  4. Shiroh

    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

  5. bankelele

    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 (&currency) 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.

  6. Anonymous

    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

  8. Anonymous

    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!

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