Standard Media’s Broadcast Services Disrupted Amid Ongoing Financial Woes
Standard Media Group’s television and radio operations were temporarily disrupted on Friday morning following what the media house has described as a “technical hitch.” The incident affected several of its broadcast channels, although some—including KTN, Radio Maisha, Spice FM, and Berur FM—remained accessible online.
In a brief statement issued Friday, Standard Media confirmed the outage but refrained from specifying the root cause. Engineers are reportedly on-site working to restore full services.
“Standard Group radio and TV platforms temporarily off air due to a technical hitch; KTN, Radio Maisha, Spice FM, and Berur FM available online as engineers work to restore services,” the company said in its official communication.
The disruption has sparked widespread concern among viewers and listeners, many of whom took to social media demanding an explanation. Yet, beyond the acknowledgment of technical challenges, no further details were released.
This outage comes at a turbulent time for the once-dominant media house, which has recently been rocked by financial instability. In April, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) threatened to revoke Standard Media’s broadcasting license over unpaid fees totaling more than Ksh43 million.
CA Director General David Mugonyi warned the company that failure to settle the outstanding debt would result in the loss of its broadcast rights. In response, Standard’s Chief Executive Editor Chacha Mwita accused the government of leveraging debt as a tool of intimidation against independent media.
“The strangest thing about this case is that the government owes us over Ksh1.2 billion, and what the CA is asking from us is Ksh48 million, a figure we refute because we have significantly brought it down,” Mwita stated.
Beyond regulatory troubles, Standard Media has also faced internal challenges, including reports of unpaid salaries and mass resignations. Critics argue that the financial turmoil is being exacerbated by political pressure stemming from the company’s editorial stance.
In recent months, the media house has drawn fire from senior government officials over its headlines, which often take a critical tone toward President William Ruto’s administration. The backlash allegedly led to the withdrawal of key advertising contracts—a move media freedom advocates have termed punitive.
As Standard Media works to resolve the technical issues, the broader challenges it faces reflect the shrinking space for independent journalism in Kenya and the difficult environment in which media houses must now operate.
In other news:‘We Were Told to Strip, Crawl and Wash Off the Blood’: Boniface Mwangi Recounts Tanzanian Ordeal
Standard Media’s Broadcast Services Disrupted Amid Ongoing Financial Woes