Presenters at Standard Media Group have gone on strike to protest against delayed salaries. These presenters host popular shows on stations owned by the media company, including Spice FM, Vybez Radio, Radio Maisha and Berur FM.
According to the radio station employees, they reported not receiving payments for the months between June and August 2023 and that in 2024, they had only been paid for February.
On Thursday morning, the hosts followed through with their ultimatum and exited their studios, leaving listeners with only music to listen to.
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Unconfirmed reports from within the media outlet allege the presenters were given until noon to resume work or face being sacked.
The employees have used organizations such as the Kenya Union of Journalists and the Media Council of Kenya to air their grievances and demand immediate action from the management.
This strike comes after Standard Media Group reported a loss of Ksh1.26 billion for the year ended December 2023. The total revenue fell to Ksh 2.38 billion from Ksh 2.53 billion in 2022, primarily due to reduced advertising spending by clients in a challenging economic environment.
Radio Maisha, Spice FM, Berur FM, and Vybez Radio presenters threatened to cease broadcasting should the arrears remain unsettled. Ultimately, they abandoned their workstations, congregating at the staff cafeteria to press for management for immediate action.
In a demand letter signed in June 2024, the employees requested to be paid their June 2024 salary by Tuesday, July 2 and asked the company to pay 30 per cent of the arrears every month until the amount is fully cleared.
The media industry is grappling with economic challenges, leading to frequent mass layoffs and retrenchment. Nation Media Group, seemingly encountering similar hurdles, is releasing about 180 employees in a rationalization process considered shocking.
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