There is some storm brewing in the Twin Towers. Several journalists have recently resigned from the company following the introduction of new job structures and promotion of well connected personalities at the expense of performance and delivery. Now around 6 senior journalists including TV presenters also plan to exit as they claim that Linus Gitahi is spending all his time running his businesses and not improving the NMG.
Some of those who have left are;
Owino Opondo who resigned last week and is set to join the Center for Parliamentary Studies. Former parliamentary editor and the immediate Editorial Training Coordinator at NMG. Owino resigned after feeling ignored in the recently introduced restructuring. His resignation has dealt a blow to NMGs media lab program which has been reduced to churn jobs for relatives and girlfriends of senior managers.
Dr Samuel Siringi quit his position as the Associate Editor Assignments. He resigned after new beat systems was introduced by Managing Editor Mutuma Mathiu. Despite Siringi holding a PHD in Communication Studies from Moi University, he was being asked to report to newly promoted associate editor Erick Shimoli who has no much training but dropped out of a Catholic seminary to join nation as reporter in the 90s after practising briefly as an untrained teacher.
Shimoli is among five journalists promoted by the management while clean brains like Siringi and Opondo are thrown to the sewers. Siringi is scheduled to join the respected Journalism School at University of Nairobi as a lecturer.
Zeddy Sambu resigned several weeks ago and will be joining a top parastatal in the country. While working at Nation Media, Zeddy was paid a paltry Ksh 80,000 and is happy to move into a job where she will be paid more than Ksh 300,000. Zeddy was one of the all-round Business journalists at Nation Media. Her departure has shaken the business desk.
Griffins Omwenga and Muthonki Mumo have also reportedly left the media house for a rival.
Patrick Mayoyo who was Nation Media’s deputy chief editor has also quit to join The Standard. Patrick is an award winning journalist and highly respected among his peers. Eric Shimoli who was once linked to the slain gangster harassed Patrick throughout his stay at NMG. Shimoli`s henchman and close confidant, Patrick Nzioka has replaced Patrick.
Nation Media Group never rewards talent. Most reporters are still treated as correspondents earning a paltry Ksh 10,000 as retainer leading to massive corruption within the profession.