Standard Media Group to cover Pope Francis’s visit widely

The Standard Group will extensively cover Pope Francis’s upcoming three-day visit in November.

Standard Group entered into an agreement with the Catholic Church, which will see the giant media house use all its platforms to cover the visit widely.

Bishop Alfred Rotich led a team from the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops that will oversee the three-day visit by the global Catholic leader during the visit to The Standard Group headquarters in Nairobi yesterday.

Bishop Rotich said they are hopeful that through the partnership, the Pope’s message of hope will reach many people.

“As a team charged with the responsibility of preparing Pope Francis’s Kenya visit, we are happy and privileged that we have reached an agreement to partner with The Standard Media Group,” said the Bishop.

“In a visit of this magnitude by the spiritual leader of the global Catholic Church, we understand that we need to partner with skilled and experienced media houses like Standard Group to transmit the noble message of the Holy Father to the rest of the country and beyond,” Rotich said.

Speaking during the meeting, Standard Group CEO Sam Shollei said the media house will give the Pope’s visit extensive coverage.

“The visit of Pope Francis, which will be his first, will be a special moment for not only Catholic faithful but all Kenyans. As a media company we shall ensure that the coverage of the Pope befits his blessed visit to the country,” said Mr Shollei.

“We shall do everything possible to ensure that the visit is well-covered through all our platforms. Our audiences on Radio Maisha, KTN, The Standard newspaper and Standard Digital should be assured of smooth and seamless coverage of the papal visit,” he added.

KTN News

Shollei noted that Catholic faithful from the East Africa region and South Sudan will also not miss out on the Pope’s Kenyan tour as they will be kept abreast through the newly-unveiled, 24-hour television station, KTN News.

Pope Francis will be in the country from November 25 to 27 and is expected to hold bilateral talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta before meeting senior Government officials at the United Nations Environmental Programme.

The itinerary will include an inter-religious meeting with Christian, Muslim, Hindu and traditional leaders. He will also give a general address to Kenyans, meet a number of young people and celebrate mass.