Standard Group Media has responded after an employee threatened to commit suicide inside the office in a viral video.
The employee, identified as Zanji Mukenya, explained in a social media post on August 16 that his suicide threat was due to frustration over delayed pay.
“Happened a few hours ago. I’m okay now. For context, I was fighting for my pay. Most of the Standard Media workers are going through this. This was me on a 3rd floor ledge ready to die or get my bag,” he said.
In response, Standard Media Group stated that it has addressed Mukenya’s immediate needs following the incident.
“Our attention has been drawn to a distressing incident that occurred on our premises this afternoon involving one of our freelancers, who is currently on sabbatical,” reads the statement in part.
“This incident, in which the individual recorded himself in a distressing situation, has profoundly affected us, and we want to express our sincere empathy and concern for our colleague.”
The group also acknowledged the severe impact of the payment delays, especially given the challenging financial circumstances the company is facing.
“Please be assured that we remain fully committed to addressing and resolving all outstanding salary arrears and ensuring that pay is current,” it said.
Also Read: Standard Group Employee Who Threatened to Commit Suicide Speaks
The group noted that it is working diligently to provide support to its employees during this difficult time.
Standard Group Woes
Standard group journalists have in the past lamented about going months without receiving salaries, forcing some to leave the media house.
Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) in a statement on July 15 stated that Standard Group owed staff six months of unpaid salaries adding that a clear and acceptable payment plan was required to settle this debt.
Later on July 30, the media house announced plans to fire more than 300 employees explaining that it reached the decision because of the harsh economic environment and the changing trends in the media industry.
“In reaching this decision, we took into consideration, the difficult operating environment and its long- drawn effect on revenue generation.
“This situation has been witnessed on the back of shifting trends in media consumption, occasioned by technological changes in the digital media landscape and emerging consumer preferences which have necessitated a rethink of our business model,” read a notice from Standard Group.
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Earlier this month, the Group shut down several TV stations, taking them off air and abruptly ending multiple popular programs.
Consequently, the media giant shut down KTN News, KTN Farmers TV among other brands. These stations merged with KTN Home, which aired entertainment and lifestyle content.
Furthermore, the media house reported a Ksh1.26 billion loss for the year ended December 2023 noting that its total revenue fell to Ksh2.38 billion from Ksh2.53 billion in 2022.
This decline was primarily attributed to reduced advertising spending by clients due to the challenging economic environment.
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