Mediamax Network Announces Major Layoffs as Kenyan Media Industry Faces Unprecedented Pressures

Nairobi, Kenya – July 16, 2025

Mediamax Announces Major Layoffs Amid Declining Revenues and Industry Turmoil

In a sobering reflection of the mounting financial and structural challenges confronting Kenya’s media landscape, Mediamax Network Limited—the parent company of K24 TV and People Daily—has issued redundancy notices to dozens of employees in a sweeping organizational restructuring effort.

The announcement, made by CEO Ken Ngaruiya on July 16, marks one of the most significant staff downsizing exercises in recent years by a major Kenyan media house. The company cited declining advertising revenue, delayed payments for government advertising, and the adverse effects of new regulatory constraints, including recent restrictions on betting advertisements, as key drivers behind the move.

In an internal memo, Mediamax stated that it is realigning its operations to adapt to digital disruption—an ongoing transformation that has seen audiences steadily migrate from traditional platforms to online channels. The management emphasized that the layoffs are intended to enhance operational efficiency and secure the company’s long-term viability in an increasingly competitive and digitally driven media environment.

“All affected employees have been issued a one-month notice and will be accorded their lawful severance packages and benefits in full compliance with the Employment Act,” the company stated, while adding that some staff may be redeployed into new digital-facing roles as the reorganization unfolds.

The layoffs have sent ripples across Kenya’s journalism fraternity, reigniting concerns about job security, press freedom, and the economic sustainability of traditional media institutions. Industry analysts warn that revenue volatility, shifting consumption habits, and policy uncertainties are converging to reshape the media ecosystem in ways that demand urgent innovation—but at a significant human cost.

This latest development at Mediamax follows a wider pattern of restructuring across Kenya’s media sector, with several outlets having implemented similar workforce reductions over the past two years. Media advocacy groups are calling for a national dialogue on safeguarding journalism, urging government and private stakeholders to develop new funding models and policy frameworks that can support both press independence and digital transformation.