How media companies can help people during COVID-19

During this time many people are glued to their TVs and radios. Why? Because they want to get information about corona virus. Others are using it as a way to get entertained.  There are many who are finding it challenging to make ends meet during this time. Here are ways all media companies can help. 

1.      Give airtime to charities

There are many charity organizations in Kenya. Most of them are now collecting donations and distributing to needy families. Some know exactly where the most vulnerable in society live. Right now, I think, they need a lot of support. The media companies can take this opportunity to direct us, the general public, to the different ways we can support these organizations so that they can help the needy effectively.

2.      Give airtime to mental health experts

In western countries, according to global media, many people are suffering from mental health issues. Some have lost loved ones in death, others are facing economic hardships which has led to increased anxiety while others have become depressed due to the ongoing negative news in the media. This may be replicated here at home. One way to help the general public is to give mental health experts time on air so that they can speak to people on how to deal with these problems. This could lead to many in the society cope with this unexpected event.

3.      Help needy families connect with food aid

Many people in Kenya today have lost their source of income. Since some of them live from hand to mouth, it has lead them to need help from either government or charity organizations. I’ve written another article on how thegovernment can help the needy in society. You may wish to read it after you finish this article. Both these entities are trying to help but if a needy person has no idea of where to get help, will he/she get help? Probably not. So the media companies should come in and help the needy in society get information on how they can get assistance.

4.      Rally donations

There is an old man in Britain who was planning on raising a small amount of money to help the medical staff in his locality. He planned to walk up and down his home 100 times and encouraged people to donate. When the media in his country broadcasted his plan, the number of donors increased dramatically. The last time I checked, he had raised over 22 million sterling pounds. This shows the power of the media. If they ignored his story, maybe he could have raised a very small amount. So the media in this country could also think of a similar charity event. Maybe they can involve celebrities and make them take challenges or perform music and broadcast it live. I’m imagining putting Eric Omondi on a treadmill and also putting Eliud Kipchoge on a treadmill and broadcasting it live as they compete. People who watch will then be given an Mpesa number where they can donate. It can be very entertaining and milions of shillings can be generated through such an event. Also it can be broadcasted globally so that fans of Kipchoge who reside abroad can also donate to us here in Kenya.

5.      Music

Musicians in Kenya make a lot of money through concerts. Since concerts are illegal, they are most likely making less money. That’s why the government pledged 100 million shillings for musicians. How can the media further help them? By channeling people to the other ways musicians make money. These methods include music downloads and when people put artists music on their ring-back tones. The media companies can push these methods so that musicians can make money during this time. When they make money, they may be able to help others in the community.

6.      Youtube

The reason I have put this last is because I’m not certain if the idea will work. But let me write it anyway. So, there are youtubers in Kenya who make money through YouTube. I am not 100% sure but I think they are still making money despite the lockdown in many countries in the world. But let’s assume that they are doing well financially. Media companies can come help promote new and existing youtubers so that they can make more money. That way, we can have people from all over the country on YouTube making content and making money. This will help the overall economy since it can become a lifeline to many.

Conclusion

When a country is ailing, all the sectors in the economy are affected. Since majority of media companies are on the ground, they can clearly see how bad the situation is getting. So, if the media companies help, maybe, just maybe, we can allocate time every day to clap for them

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