Kenyans give new-look Standard newspaper warm reception [Photos]

A motorist buys the newly-relaunched Bold Standard Newspaper from Standard Group Health Editor Dr Mercy Korir along Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi on Friday April 9, 2021 [Photo: Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Jubilant Kenyans on Friday, April 9 got to look at, touch, and feel the new-look Standard newspaper following its relaunch on Thursday at the Standard Group Headquarters on Mombasa Road.

Promising a better feel and in-depth content, the new-look newspaper went into circulation this morning, with the website already up and running.

Vendors, all over Nairobi, Eldoret, Embu, Kisii, and Kisumu distributed the beautifully crafted newspaper from as early as 5:00 am, painting the towns red.

Motorists, pedestrians, and loyal customers scrambled to purchase the paper, which has offered credible news in more than 100 years of its existence.

Here are some photos captured by The Standard:

Ken Akoko, a Kisumu resident receives a copy of the new look Standard newspaper from reporter Kepher Otieno. (Photo: Collins Oduor)

Kisii Police Station Commander John Sankale and his colleague Inspector Volker Edambo read the new-look Standard on April 9, 2021. [Courtesy]

Officer Reuben Ombongi admires the new-look Standard newspaper outside Kisii Police Station on April 9, 2021. [Photo: Stanley Ongwae, Standard.]

A motorist admires the new-look Standard newspaper along Uhuru Highway, Nairobi. [Standard photographer]

Members of the public in Embu grab a copy of the new-look Standard newspaper. [Photos: Muriithi Mugo]

Vendors with the new look Standard newspaper along the streets of Kisumu. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

  Standard newspaper readers go through a copy of the publication at Kisii Bus Station during activation. [Sammy Omingo, Sammy Omingo]

A customer reads a copy of The Standard at the Kisumu Main bus stage. [Courtesy]

A reader buys a copy of The Standard in Eldoret town [Standard photographer]

Presiding over the relaunch, ICT Cabinet Secretary, Joe Mucheru said ‘The Standard’ has, over the years, offered credible news service to Kenyans.

“It is my hope the Standard Group PLC will remain a source of truthful news and will continue to be bold in providing credible and cutting-edge information. Remember, we are living in the era of fake news,” said Mucheru.

Standard Group PLC’s Board Chairperson, Robin Sewell lauded the news organisation’s digital-first mindset, promising readers more authoritative, in-depth and balanced stories on the two ‘Standard’ platforms.

“The Standard Group PLC is now a digitally-fronted media house in East and Central Africa. The company has broken off from traditional reporting to a brand that embraces reflective and analytical journalism,” said Sewell.

Standard Group PLC CEO, Orlando Lyomu, said the media company had converged its news-gathering departments with the goal of delivering fast and accurate information to consumers.

“Under the Project Eagle, and with our ultra-modern integrated converged newsroom, we have brought together the tectonic plates of our different archipelagos under one roof bound by consolidation of different talents of managerial and leadership skills,” said Lyomu.

The CEO promised consumers would see and experience the difference, almost immediately.

Editor-in-Chief, Ochieng’ Rapuro said the new design, will satisfy subscribers’ appetite for well-told stories.

“The [Standard] redesign is partly informed by the fact that in the predominantly digital environment, consumers are overly visual. This being the reality, I must emphasise that the new design is only but the soup that we want to serve our audiences,” said Rapuro.

The launch event was attended by editorial leads of different sections, including newspaper, television, radio and digital.