The Star Newspaper’s Chief Operating Officer Agnes Kalekye is the new chair of the Media Owners Association.
Kalekye will take over from Nation Media Group chief executive officer Stephen Gitagama who has served since 2021.
The announcement was made on April 28, 2023.
Speaking in her office in Nairobi, Kalekye said she aims at inclusivity of all media houses for a better future.
“I am championing dialogue within the industry. We need to bring all owners together and talk to each other as we make the industry better and more sustainable. I am championing for diversity and inclusion in the newsrooms,” she said.
Kalekye said in her position as the chair, she will spearhead talks between the government and the media owners to streamline matters of media independence.
“The government needs to understand the media while respecting its independence policy. We need to bring back the independence and the trust that the public had in the media without compromising any side,” she said.
“We must have editorial independence while also balancing the laws and regulations within the Kenyan constitution.”
As a way to fit in the media disruption industry, Kalekye said media owners need to have a sit-down and discuss the future of the industry, which has borne the brunt of the shifting industry.
“We need to find new ways to engage with audiences rather than staying fixated on traditional media mindset," she said.
The COO also serves as a board member of the World Association of News Publishers (Wan-Ifra) after being elected on June 20, 2022.
She also serves as a board member at National Cancer Institute.
Kalekye has over 15 years in the industry starting as a freelance sales executive and rising over the ranks.
