Mediamax Network Ltd has expanded its portfolio by acquiring Ebru TV, a new entrant in the digital TV industry.
The media house, substantially owned by the Kenyatta family, bought the station after lengthy negotiations led by Chief Executive Officer Ian Fernandes. He is said to have spent the better part of the week there.
Ebru is majority-owned subsidiary of Samanyolu Broadcasting Company (SBC), an international media corporation with headquarters in the United States and has operations in Germany, Turkey, and Azerbaijan in addition to Kenya, where it launched in 2006.
Founded in 1993, SBC has grown rapidly. Its programming currently reaches viewers in over 80 countries through several televisions and radio stations.
It says the secret of its continuing rise has been the network’s ceaseless effort to bring audiences unique, high quality content that integrates the values of today’s families, the wisdom of past generations and the fresh perspectives of tomorrow.
Mediamax owns K24 TV, the free sheet PD (People Daily), Kameme FM, Meru FM, Pilipili FM, Milele FM and Mayian FM and has been seeking to expand for some time now. The acquisition of the station comes amid reports that investors led by President Uhuru Kenyatta’s family recently pumped Ksh3.9 billion to boost K24 operations and kick-start plans to launch a Kikuyu language television station, Kameme TV.
Signs that a deal had been reached emerged after Ebru started parking its outside broadcast vehicles at Mediamax offices. Some Mediamax insiders confirmed the new development but complained that despite the media house’s new fortunes, staff welfare is still pathetic. Employees’ salaries continue to delay while payment of correspondents is erratic.
Last year, Mediamax downsized its staff retrenching nearly 50 employees. Some highly paid staff poached from Citizen TV by executive chairman Granton Samboja were particularly targeted and there are claims those who remained had to take a pay cut.
Inooro TV messed plans
Principal investors – including Equity Bank –are said to have demanded that the management make the wage bill manageable before putting in new money. There were even plans to shut down K24, which has been performing poorly financially, but President Uhuru is said to have opposed it, arguing the station was strategic to his political ambitions given its nationwide reach.
The plan was to use the new studios at DSM Place along Kijabe Street to usher in Kameme TV but some managers argued it was logistically not possible. The station’s launch was also jolted when S.K. Macharia’s Royal Media Services surprised Mediamax by unveiling Inooro TV ahead of its schedule.
K24 survived and went on to relaunch last December. It’s not clear whether Ebru TV will continue with its current programming or will be converted into Kameme TV whose launch is planned in the coming months.
[crp]
