THE PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT AND THEIR APPLICATION IN THE MEDIA

INDUSTRY

Introduction
The principles of management refer to the fundamental concepts that are essential for effective
management. Henri Fayol, who is regarded as the ‘Father of Modern Management Theory’, gave
a new perception of the concept of management. He introduced a general theory that can be
applied to all levels of management and every department.

Henri concentrated on accomplishing managerial efficiency, and the principles from his theory
allow managers to comprehend and evaluate how to successfully run an organization, with the
media industry not being an exception.

Below are the 14 principles of management according to Fayol, and their application in the
media industry :

Delegation
This principle is also known as division of work. Fayol believed that work should be divided
among individuals to increase efficiency. This in turn improves productivity, speed and accuracy
among workers.

In a news organization, different journalists may be assigned specific bits to cover, such as
sports, politics, or entertainment.
For example in Citizen TV Jeff Koinange anchors mostly hard news such as politics and
business ,Bernard Ndong sports journalist and Willis Raburu who specialises on entertainment.

Authority and Responsibility

In every organization, there are clear lines of authority and assigned responsibilities. These two
play a key role in helping achieve organizational goals, as authority facilitates the management
to work efficiently, and responsibility makes them answerable for the job done.

In a media house for example, an editor has the authority to make decisions about which stories
to run, but at the same time has to ensure that the stories are accurate and meet ethical
standards.If anything happens, he/she would be answerable.
For example in Nation Media Group Joe Ageyo who is the editorial director oversees and directs
all the companies publications and content.

Discipline
Discipline is a core value in every organization, and without it, not much can be realized. When
employees behave and perform well, the managerial work becomes easier and everything flows
smoothly in the organization.
Media organizations usually adhere to this principle to the latter, as it is fundamental in the
growth and development of any media company. For example, a media company may enforce
strict deadlines and standards for quality control to ensure that its content meets a certain level of
professionalism. As such, all the stakeholders are required to meet these expectations or risk
being fired.
For example, Shaffie weru, a popular radio africa presenter was fired after uttering offensive
comments during a show in Homeboyz radio alongside household disc jockey Joe Mfalme. This
was done to enforce the strict standards set by the media house.

Unity of Command
It is practically impossible to have and obey several bosses in a single work set up. As such,
employees should receive orders or instructions from only one superior, in order to avoid
confusion and conflicting directions.

Journalists receive instructions from only one editor, whom they are required to answer back to
once they acquired news stories or features.

For example KTN News ,Vybez Radio, Radio Maisha Spice FM, the Nairobian and the
Standard Newspaper all receive instructions from the company’s editor in chief Ochieng Rapuro
who heads all the departments of the Standard Media group and is responsible for delegating
tasks to each.

Unity of Direction
All efforts in an organization should be aligned towards a common goal. A company's mission,
vision and objectives should be clearly defined and communicated to all employees to ensure
everyone is working towards the same goal.

In a media organization, every employee knows that the ultimate goal is to truthfully inform the
public and get an audience. With a clear vision and a unified mindset, journalists, editors, news
anchors, and other employees are able to realize this.
A good example is The Nation Media Group who are committee to generating and creating
content that will inform, educate and entertain their consumers across different platforms,
keeping in mind the changing needs and trends in the industry.

Subordination of Individual Interests to General Interests

The interests of the organization should always take precedence over the interests of individuals.
Employees should prioritize the success of the company over their own personal interests.
Journalists should always realize that the accuracy and impartiality of their reporting must come
before their personal opinions or interests.

For example Citizen TV which is under S.K Macharia’s Royal Media Services would give
perspective on both the Kenya Kwanza and Azimio la Umoja One Kenya rallies despite the fact
that S.K Macharia is often aligned with the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya side.

Remuneration
Whether monetary or not, every organization has to recognize the importance of fair
compensation as a motivator for employees. A company may offer fair salaries and benefits to
attract and retain employees.

Most media companies in Kenya now welcome this principle, as the case was a bit different
before, with some employees receiving larger paychecks than others. Realizing that
remuneration is key to contentment among employees, media organizations such as Royal Media
Services now have happy employees.

For example Citizen TV under Royal media services pays its Journalists reasonably well. A good
example is The Popular Jeff Koinange who earns an estimated 1.4 million Kenyan Shillings a
month from Citizen TV.

Centralization
Fayol believed in a clear chain of command and decision-making authority. A central decision-
making body, such as a board of directors, may make important decisions for the company.

In a newsroom, there's only one editorial team that decides whether stories are newsworthy or
not. With the ability to make such crucial decisions, it is possible for news channels to always
inform the public on the most important stories first.
For example Nation Media Group Editorial Director Joe Ageyo announced the appointment of
Pamela as the Executive Editor and Bernard Mwinzi as the managing editor a decision made by
the Nation Media Group board in 2022. Changes took effect immediately.

Scalar Chain
A clear hierarchy of authority should exist within an organization, from the highest to the lowest
levels. With this, employees get to know their immediate superiors and can easily reach them in
case of anything.

Media organizations do have a clear line of authority as well, from the CEO to the individual
reporters.
For example in BBC there is a board responsible for ensuring they deliver their mission and
public purposes.The Board is led by a non-executive Chairman, Richard Sharp, and consists of
ten non-executive members, including the Chairman, and four executive members including the
BBC’s Director-General and Editor-in-Chief, Tim Davie, who chairs the Executive Committee.
The chain of command goes on and on to individual reporters like Jane Hill who is the main
presenter of BBC news at One.

Order
Maintaining a clean and organized work environment is important in ensuring a favorable
working environment . A company should maintain order through proper arrangement of
materials, equipment, and personnel.

Media companies have a clear system for assigning stories and managing the workflow of
journalists, so as to avoid clashing stories.
For example Citizen TV communication center headquarters in Maalim juma road off Dennis
Pritt Road , Hullingham has all sorts of spaces divided for various functions. There are file
rooms, technical rooms, studios and editing rooms all arranged and equipped for their functions
thus availing a conducive environment for work.

Equity
Fayol emphasized fair and equal treatment of employees. Companies should treat employees
fairly and provide equal opportunities for growth and development.

In this light, media organizations give journalists, editors, and other workers equal and fair
opportunities at work. This allows them to grow better and become greater news and
entertainment channels.
For example Royal Media Services (RMS) managers underwent a 3-day training for all radio
heads for the 13 broadcasting stations the media enterprise owns. In a report by Citizen TV, the
journalists lauded the move and noted that the training came in handy due to the evolving nature
of the broadcasting industry. All journalists and their heads attended the training regardless of
hierarchy or rank showing equality.

Stability of Tenure of Personnel

A company should provide job security and encourage long-term employment to promote
employee loyalty. If an employee feels safe and secure at work, they are able to deliver the best.

In news organizations, journalists and reporters are happier and always deliver quality news
stories when the location they are reporting from is safer and more secure.

For example CNN’s Anderson Cooper who has worked there since 2001 has been receiving
various promotions and leads in covering features such as the Hurricane Katrina award winning
feature. As a result of his loyalty CNN reciprocate this by giving him his own show Anderson
Cooper 360° where he has been the host since 2003 to date.

Initiative
The management should support and encourage the employees to take initiatives in an
organization. It will help them to increase their interest and make them worthy.

Journalists are always encouraged to enhance their creativity and pitch new ideas. Taking
initiative as a journalist also makes you want to have more news stories under your name
published, making it a competitive sphere only for the best of ideas.

NTV gave Dr. King’ori his own show ‘The Wicked Edition’ which they saw was a great idea
from the individual and decided to give the idea a try. The show airs new episode regularly once
a week and also has repeats of previous episodes during the week.

Esprit de Corps
A positive and supportive work environment should be cultivated to promote teamwork and
collaboration among employees. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the management to
motivate their employees and be supportive of each other regularly. Developing trust and mutual
understanding will lead to a positive outcome and work environment.

Media organizations also rely on teamwork in order to accomplish their goal. The newsroom
needs stories pitched by the reporters in order to edit and compile news articles that are aired by
the anchors. As such, corporation is key in realizing the end result.

Nation Media Group (NMG) in 2017 held a staff team-building event in Nairobi. Apart from
easing tension, the outdoor event was also designed to bridge the gap between management and
the employees. Since he took over in 2015, Nation Media Group CEO is said to have been aloof,
creating less time to interact and understand the editorial department, which is the engine of the
media house.

How the Principles of Management Help Media Organizations

The aforementioned principles can help any organization in planning, organizing, leading and
controlling, and here's how they do so in the media industry as well:

1. Planning
Planning involves setting goals and objectives, and determining the resources and actions
necessary to achieve them. Media organizations need to plan their content, distribution,
and advertising to ensure they reach the right audience at the right time. This includes
creating a content calendar, identifying target audiences, and determining the best
distribution channels.
 2. Organizing
Organizing involves arranging and coordinating resources to achieve the goals set out in
the planning process. In the media industry, organizing is essential to ensuring that
resources are used effectively and efficiently. This includes creating a structure for the
organization, delegating responsibilities, and establishing clear lines of communication.
Media organizations also need to organize their content, including the creation of a
content hierarchy and the use of tags and metadata.

3. Leading
Leading involves motivating and directing employees to achieve the goals and objectives
set out in the planning process. In the media industry, this might include working with
writers and other creatives to develop a vision for a project, and then inspiring and
guiding the team to bring that vision to fruition. It also involves setting clear
expectations, providing feedback and recognition, and creating a positive work
environment.

4. Controlling
Controlling involves monitoring and evaluating progress to ensure that goals and
objectives are being met, and making adjustments as needed. In the media industry, this
includes setting goals, measuring performance, and taking corrective action when
necessary, such as tracking viewer or listener ratings and adjusting programming or
marketing strategies accordingly.

Summary
The applications of these principles in the media industry are varied. For example, news
organizations rely on them to deliver accurate and timely information to the public.
Entertainment companies use these principles to develop and distribute movies, TV shows, and
other content. Advertising agencies use these principles to create and place effective ads.And,
Public relation firms use these principles to build and maintain relationships with key
stakeholders.

In a nutshell, the principles of management are fundamental to the success of any organization,
and they are particularly important in the media industry. They are all essential to ensuring that
resources are used effectively and efficiently, and that organizational goals are met. By applying
these principles, media organizations can achieve their goals and succeed in today's fast-paced,
ever-changing media landscape.
References
Wren, D.A. (2001). "Henri Fayol as a strategist: a nineteenth century corporate turnaround".
Management Decision. 39 (6): 475–487.

Mintzberg, H. (2009). "Managing." San Francisco, Berrett-Koehler Publishers. P. 26-28.

Eccles, R. G. & Nohria, N. (1992). "Beyond the Hype: Rediscovering the Essence of
Management." Boston: The Harvard Business School Press, pp. 47-48.

https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/79717-rms-managers-receive-specialized-training-us-radio-
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https://www.bbc.com/news/education-46131593

https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/business/nmg-makes-leadership-changes-in-newspaper-
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https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/corporate/about