Kenyan TV station K24 dismisses shutdown claims, continues broadcasting amid massive layoffs
On 15 August 2025, the station dismissed rumours of a shutdown as fake news. However, parent company Mediamax is undergoing major restructuring, with reports suggesting that up to 90% of newsroom staff have been laid off.
"BREAKING: K24 TV, owned by Mediamax Limited, has been officially shut down after 17 year of operation in Kenya," reads a claim circulating widely on Facebook.
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Mediamax Limited is a Kenyan media company that owns several outlets, including K24 TV, the newspaper People Daily, as well as radio stations such as Kameme FM, Milele FM and Emoo FM.
The supposed "closure" comes at a time when Kenya's media industry is facing one of its toughest periods in decades, marked by downsizing in newsrooms, delayed salaries and outright shutdowns.
In mid-2024, KTN News, one of the country's most prominent 24-hour television stations and the first of its kind, was closed by the Standard Group, sending shockwaves through the sector.
Similar struggles have plagued other major news outlets over the years, driven by rising operational costs, declining advertising revenue, increased competition from free online content and growing government pressure on critical reporting.
Similar posts can be found here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
But has K24 TV shut down? We checked.
K24 TV still operating
On 15 August 2025, K24 TV dismissed the rumours of a shutdown as "FAKE NEWS" and urged viewers to rely on its official channels for accurate updates.
The station is still broadcasting, with live programmes, including prime-time news and other segments, and streaming on its YouTube channel.
However, while K24 remains on air, its parent company, Mediamax Network Limited, is undergoing a major restructuring. A redundancy notice issued on 14 July signalled that significant staff cuts would take place between 15 July and 15 August 2025, aimed at reducing operational costs. Reports suggest that up to 90% of K24's newsroom staff, including anchors and producers, have been laid off.
This downsizing reflects the broader challenges facing the Kenyan media, from dwindling advertising revenue and the collapse of specific traditional income streams to delayed government payments and the increasing popularity of free online content.
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While K24 TV has not shut down, the scale of the layoffs and restructuring at Mediamax highlights the deep crisis within the media industry.
This claim also appears here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
