Dennis Okari, Mark Masai Team Up For New Show After NTV Firing [VIDEO]

The show will be a podcast that will cover various stories told by the people of Kenya in a different way...

Marvin Chege Marvin Chege
Dec 14, 2022 - 15:58 Updated: Dec 14, 2022 - 16:00
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Dennis Okari, Mark Masai Team Up For New Show After NTV Firing [VIDEO]
Collage of former NTV news anchors Mark Masai and Dennis Okari. /FILE

Former NTV prime-time news anchors, Mark Masai and Dennis Okari will share a platform for the first time since they parted ways with the Nation Media Group (NMG).

In a promo video shared by Okari on his social media handles on Wednesday, December 14, he will host The Social Newsroom which will be streamed starting this Thursday, December 15.

The show will be a podcast that will cover various stories told by the people of Kenya in a different way, though with Okari, he will continue his niche of news but focus more on the untold stories.

"Every story has a hero and a villain. Usually, that hero is a regular guy in an ordinary situation doing extraordinary things.

"My job is to tell stories that inspire change, stories that matter to you. Welcome to the future," Okari stated.

Okari and Masai will jointly host the Thursday show, which will be produced by SemaBox Africa, a plug-and-play, specialist podcasting studio and podcast incubator which provides space, skills and technology to turn one's podcast idea into reality.

SemaBox has worked with high-profile clients including Google Arts, Amnesty International Kenya, and the European Union- East African Community Market Access and Upgrade Programme (EU-EAC MARKUP).

Insiders privy to the happenings had revealed to Viral Tea that Okari had received calls from the media house's Human Resources (HR) while he was away on holiday.

But on Monday evening, December 5, he made the unfortunate announcement on his social media handles that his time at the TV station and at NMG had come to an end, having been there since 2015.

The former special projects and investigations editor at the media house thanked his colleagues at NMG for playing a huge part in his career.

"My assignment at NTV has come to an end. I'm grateful to God for the opportunity to serve. I gave it my all, but I couldn't have done it without the help of an incredible team and an amazing audience. 

"I hope they continue to shine. It's time to move on to something bigger and greater than myself," Okari stated.

NMG has been firing its staff en masse as part of its intention to restructure itself to boost its business transformation agenda to assure success in the long term.

"Regrettably, this refocus will result in a reorganisation of our workforce. This is an extremely difficult decision in view of the prevailing business environment. This exercise will be carried out with utmost dignity and in accordance with the Labour Laws of Kenya.

"We will strive to provide all the necessary support to help those affected to manage the transition," stated Group CEO Stephen Gitagama in part.

A photo of Nation Media Group. /BUSINESS TODAY