Nation Media Group (NMG) has put on notice individuals distributing their newspapers’ digital publications on social media without authorisation.
In a statement on Wednesday, NMG noted that any form of reproduction or reselling of their e-paper without prior authorisation was an infringement of copyright laws and thus a criminal offence.
“It has come to the attention of Nation Media Group Limited (NMG) that there are persons who have made and continue to make unauthorised copies of its various newspaper publications (E-Paper) and distribute them in digital format for sale on, among others, social media platforms,” part of the notice read.
“Such action, whether limited to production, copying, distribution, and/or retention of such copies in custody, constitutes piracy and is an infringement of NMG‘s copyright in its publications and is a criminal offence contrary to Section 38 of the Copyright Act.”
A copy of the Business Daily Newspaper
Photo
Business Today
Going forward, the publication urged the public involved in such practices to cease or face consequences.
The habit has been ongoing for a while, with culprits sharing copies of the E-paper on WhatsApp.
Anyone already in possession of such material has been urged to destroy them to avoid consequences once caught.
These, the notice outlines, would include legal prosecution. The law stipulates that anyone convicted of such unauthorised distribution and related offences faces a fine not exceeding Ksh400,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or both.
The offences include the sale, distribution, and possession of the infringing copy.
“Any person who commits any of the infringement actions above after the date of this notice shall be prosecuted for the criminal offences and will suffer all the other rights and remedies afforded to NMG in law,” the notice added.
Meanwhile, surveillance is currently ongoing to smoke out individuals carrying out the same.
This notice could affect a large number of Kenyans as NMG produces a series of daily publications, including Daily Nation, Taifa Leo, and Business Daily. The media house also publishes a weekly regional paper, The East African.
It comes just a few months after NMG announced a hike in the price of its finance publication, Business Daily.
Starting May 2024, the print publication retails at Ksh100 and the ePaper at Ksh80, up from Ksh60 for the newspaper and Ksh40 for the ePaper.
Newspapers from different media houses in Kenya placed on a vending stand
Photo
ISPI