Swahili Newspapers: The Standard Media Group is set to launch a Swahili newspaper.
According to reports, the media group has already acquired the coast region based Swahili publication known as Pambazuko. The launching of the Swahili newspaper is expected to be a gamer changer in the market that has been dominated by Nation Media Group’s Taifa Leo newspaper.
However, this will not be the first time that the Standard is making an effort at penetrating the Swahili readers’ market. It once rolled out a Swahili newspaper that was known as Baraza. This paper shut down shortly before independence. “Baraza had been founded in 1939. After shutting down, attempts were made to revive it years later to no avail,” says a report in a local media news blog. “The move by the Standard, which is expanding by launching new TV and radio channels, has, however, surprised industry watchers as most media houses are running away from print to digital publications.”
Strikingly, the Swahili segment is tough to crack with reports indicating that even Taifa Leo has not been financially rewarding. Apparently, the paper is yet to break even and operates as part of the Nation Media Group’s heritage.