Royal Media top editor quits

Royal Media Services (RMS) Managing Editor Nixon Nganga has left Communications Centre even as the company moved to strengthen its editorial operations by formally appointing Joe Ageyo as Editorial Director.

It is not yet clear where Nganga who rejoined the media in August 2013 after a stint with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as manager, voter education, is headed to but sources confirmed Wednesday was his last working day.

Ageyo, who has been the KTN Managing Editor, has formally assumed his role at RMS, which also confirmed the elevation of Radio and TV Production Director Fred Afune to the position of Chief Operations Officer to replace Farida Karoney, now the Lands Cabinet Secretary.

Former NTV General Manager Linus Kaikai, who was initially lined up to take over, has been retained as an editorial consultant, a position previously held by former Mediamax Group Managing Editor Peter Opondo, who left recently to venture into private business.

Nganga, a former senior reporter with the Standard, has previously worked as a communications officer with the Rural Electrification Authority and the Constituencies Development Fund ( now known as the National Government Constituencies Development Fund) Board.

He holds a Master of Arts degree in Communication and Media Studies (Distinction) from the University of Leeds and a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Nairobi. He has also been pursuing a masters degree at Kenyatta University.

RMS, which was co-founded by businessman SK Macharia and his wife, Purity Gathoni, has embarked on strengthening its editorial and commercial operations with a keen eye on becoming a leader in the industry.

Apart from the recent editorial appointments, RMS also recently Poached three commercial managers from Standard Group and hired immediate former Nation Media Group advertising director Michael Ngugi to replace Patrick Ndeda as commercial director.

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Those poached from Standard Group are Kigen Alusa, who was appointed group business development manager in charge of agency sales as well as Steve Biko and Erastus Mwadime who were to be allocated specific radio stations.