The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) says collaborations between media stakeholders in the Coastal region will enhance a healthy information ecosystem.
This was highlighted during a meeting for Mombasa-based station managers and key information institutions on advertising opportunities provided by the Government Advertising Agency (GAA).
The MCK Mombasa Regional Coordinator Ms Maureen Mudi urged the media to aggressively address issues around sustainability and viability under the current media dynamics to remain afloat. She said the Council intends to carry out a needs assessment on station managers for appropriate media viability interventions.
“Understanding these needs enable us to support media workers in the best way possible like we did during the August General Election where we set up media centres across Kenya, Mombasa included, which helped journalists to file their reports”, she said.
The MCK official urged media houses to register with MCK for accreditation purposes as this will assist in meeting the GAA prequalification that will in return go a long way in securing government adverts.
Mr Abraham Mariita from Internews espoused the reasoning behind the meeting, stating that the organisation has been working to strengthen the information ecosystem in Kisumu, Nairobi, and Mombasa.
“Internews has partnered with organisations including the MCK, GAA, Kenya Community Media Network (KCOMNET), Digital Publishers Association of Kenya (DPAK), Kenya Audience Research Foundation (KARF) and Intel Research Solutions and trained 159 journalists on data generation, 61 on data literacy stipends and mentorship of about 32 stories across the three cities”, he said.
Ms Simaloi Dajom of Internews commended media organisations in the region for their unity as exhibited during the gubernatorial debates in the run up to the August polls.
“I would like to compliment the media houses based in the Coastal region for exercising unity especially during the gubernatorial debates. We partnered with MCK to ensure the debates are a success. If you can be that ready to work together as a team, you will be able to sustain yourselves in the media industry”, she said.
Ms Hilda Chesari from the Government Advertising Agency explained the functions of GAA, while acknowledging that both GAA and MCK have partnered to help media houses with advertising contracts and tendering.
“In order to prequalify for the advertising opportunities presented by GAA, a media house should ensure that they meet all the stipulated requirements so as to enjoy the benefits that come with it”, she said.
The station managers sought for MCK’s intervention with the Mombasa County Government to lobby for a reduction in license charges and requested GAA to consider reducing their charges by 50 per cent due to the financial challenges being faced by media houses.