Nation Media Group makes key staff changes

Nation Media Group has made key changes in the editorial department to entrench its online-first strategy and reposition itself as a leading content generator. 

The group’s Editor-in-Chief Tom Mshindi on Friday said the extensive changes were made in response to the rapidly changing dynamics of the media market.

“To further align our editorial processes to reflect the online-first strategic thrust and protect and keep improving our print business, I am happy to announce a significant restructure of the editorial processes that establishes a robust content-generation unit under a senior editor,” Mr Mshindi said in communication to staff.

CONVERGENCE

He said the changes — which include a consolidated production hub, an online and new content unit and a streamlined print unit — were made within the newsroom convergence strategy that has so far seen the consolidation of the Sports Desk, the International Desk and the Business Unit.

“We have also set up the Health and Science Desk that will serve all our platforms with relevant content.”

In the new structure, Mr Mutuma Mathiu becomes the Executive Editor, Print — a role that makes him primarily responsible for the Daily Nation newspaper, but also gives him overall oversight over the editors responsible for the Saturday Nation, Sunday Nation and Taifa Leo.

OVERALL ROLE

“The product editors will be in charge of their products, making the key publishing decisions. They will be responsible for adherence to the editorial policy and guidelines, and also work closely with the commercial departments to support the achievement of commercial targets,” said Mr Mshindi.

Former Daily Nation Deputy Managing Editor Ng'ang'a Mbugua will be in charge of the Saturday Nation while Mr Michael Owuor will edit the Sunday Nation.

Other editors are Mr Nicholas Muema (Taifa Leo), Mr John Kamau (Investigative and Special Projects), Mr John Agunda (Opinion-Editorial), Mr Elias Makori (Sports) and Mr Bernard Mwinzi (Health and Science Desk).

Mr Eric Obino becomes the Head of Production, a role that gives him overall responsibility for the production process, quality improvement, design and graphics.

VALUE ADDITION

“A critical role of the production hub will be to ensure that stories that the product editors plan to use big in their papers are reworked to add the value and relevance that will make them worthwhile Day 2 stories.”

Mr Mshindi said reworking stories was key in ensuring “continued resonance of our newspapers to readers that already get most of their breaking news freely on social media platforms.”

Reporting to Mr Obino will be Mr John Kiplagat (Chief Sub-Editor), Mr Joe Mbuthia (Production Editor), Mr Kibe Kamunyu (Quality Editor), the Revise/Rewrite team, the Chief Graphic Designer and the Chief Librarian.

Mr Timothy Wanyonyi was appointed Head of Content.

24-HOUR NEWSROOM

He will feed both print and online products.

He will set up a 24-hour newsroom and ensure that breaking news is rapidly available for posting online and work closely with the online team to ensure that the stories are regularly updated. 

Mr Bernard Namunane (Assignments Editor), Photo Editor Joan Pereruan and Regional Editors will report to Mr Wanyonyi.

Mr Churchill Otieno becomes the Editor, Online and New Content.

“This is the unit that will ensure that our websites and social media platforms are first with the news and are constantly updated,” the announcement said.

Mr Otieno will also be responsible for originating and executing ideas that should place ‘Nation’ at the forefront of content innovations, the editor-in-chief said.

BUREAUS

Reporting to Mr Otieno will be Mr Harry Misiko (Online Editor), the social media team, the Newsplex team and the Video Hub team.

Other changes include the merging of the Meru and Nyeri bureaus under Mr Leonard Guchu and those of Kisii and Kisumu under Mr Gekara Mayaka.

Mr Jeremiah Kiplangat moves from Kisii to Eldoret to take over from Mr David Opiyo, who goes back to Nation Centre, Nairobi.

Coast Regional Editor Njeri Rugene was re-deployed to Nairobi to boost content generation and will be replaced in Mombasa by Mr Lucas Barasa.

Ms Caroline Wafula remains in Nakuru.