Why Has The Standard Group Softened It's Critical Stand On The Government?

Not many people are aware of the fact that former president Moi and his immediate family are majority shareholder of the Standard group of companies which includes the premiere TV channel, KTN as well as the daily newspaper. And now that th fomer head of state is working with president Kibaki, the media house seems to have softened its stand against the government.

Since 2003, the standard newspaper has been so critical of the government that in an unprecedented move last year, the NARC regime's agents raided the newspaper offices and not only burnt copies of the newspaper but also destroyed and took away expensive equipment in a bid to cripple its' operations.

Of late, the publication and its broadcasting division has softened its stand and the juicy stories about the first family have been fewer and further between as Moi and Kibaki are in good talking terms with the former even offering advice to the latter's administration which seems to be moving from one crisis to another.

Initially, it was the Nation newspapers which had chosen to be pro government since NARC took over as the chief executive of the publication then, Wilfred Kiboro was and is a bosom and golf playing friend of Kibaki not to mention the fact that they are both from the house of Mumbi.

The Nation's policy seems to have remained the same even after Kiboro was recently replaced by one Linus Gitahi, also a Kikuyu who has overseen a change in the papers physical outlook but the editorial policy has remained the same.

Back at Standard, the paper has recently been injecting fresh blood, mainly in the form of new editors and not surprisingly has been hiring more people from Moi's Kalenjin community and promoting those already there like one Kipkoech Tanui who is said to be an editor with more powers than his colleagues. He is considered to be the eyes and ears of the majority shareholder.

The Standard was previously owned by Lonrho who disposed it after its decision to do away with non-hospitality subsidiaries of the giant conglomerate to concentrate in the hotel business as their core activity.

After major restructuring including changing its editorial policy and making it more brazen towards the government of the day, the flagging paper managed to increase its circulation and slash operational costs hence churning out profits for the third year in succession, recently. In previous years the Standard had been see-sawing between low profits and small losses.

The former president's shares in Standard are being looked after by his son, Gideon who was notorious for dubious deals when his father was in power but has since slowed down and is more involved in legitimate business transactions not to mention the fact that he is now paying his taxes, something he was not used to when 'daddy' was in power.

It now remains to be seen whether the Standard will manage to sustain its circulation figures after softening its editorial policy to the detriment of its readers who are hungry for juicy stories on a government that has proved to be fairly incompetent. The public seems to especially favor stories touching on the first family and high level corruption.

But even more worrying is the fact that as we head to the general elections, the second largest circulating newspaper in the country may not be impartial and will tend to favor the incumbent in their partnership with Moi's Kanu.

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