 What's up people? We are here with the one and only Mark Masai from NTV and Kasebio. Yes, we are here at Kuzawad, SPMBAS, Saudi TV, Benny Experience, online media TVs. So, Mark Masai, first before we even do anything, please introduce yourself for any new baby who is born and never got to see you on TV. Alright, my name is Mark Masai. I'm a journalist by training, but I'm now into public relations. But really, for that baby who's just born, I'm a man who's finding his way in life and loving the journey so far. But to that person in the profession of communication, I'm now in public relations and doing one or two things in the entertainment sector. But we can get that into that in the discussion in your interview. Okay, so Mark Masai, my first question straight goes to you because you've already said you moved from being an anchor and now you're doing something different. What could you say? Is there freedom where you are better than being an anchor? I'll just say it's a different space, it's a different experience, it's different boundaries. It's not the same as what you've had of legacy media. So right now, I'm also doing a podcast with Sema Box, it's called the Social Newsroom. And what we have there is in terms of restrictions of time, the types of conversations we can have, it's not as restrictive because we are not bound by a particular company policy. Not that we don't have ethics, we still follow the journalistic ethics of good taste as well, and we're finding the people who would watch our channel on YouTube. So it's not like I was bonded but I was committed to a former employer and there are some terms and conditions around that. So now those terms and conditions don't apply to me and I'm trying something different and it's growing and I thank God. So you're here at Kuzoo Awards, you've already had a broadcast. Could you say online, probably online media or online TV is the next big thing better than someone sitting at home watching TV or what could be your take on that? Online TV is not the next big thing, it's the thing. So if you don't know, I don't know what you're doing because even right now people consuming the brands that are known as legacy media, many of them have transitioned to consuming it online, right, on YouTube, on those live platforms. So it's not like a set top box where they turn it on at a particular time, they catch it when they want. So online is the it, we're in there. It's all about doing something that will be consistent and will speak to a particular target audience. So the trade doesn't change. So what does it feel like being on this other side of the bench and being asked questions and responding to that? Well, it feels, you know, you anticipate it. It feels good that I could have something to say. Someone would want to hear what I say because I'm mostly saying something about someone else. Now I'm saying something about myself. So it says something, there's a following, there's credibility. So it actually is some validation. So the government is taxing 3% on content creators and it's not like they are saying it's a bad thing, but are they giving them a big space or providing the avenue so that they can raise the 3% tax from the content creators? Do you think they are doing enough to support them for them to tax the content creators? I wouldn't say that the environment for content creation is a perfect environment or ideal. There's a lot that can be done to make it more easy to penetrate and grow. But to be honest, there has been a lot of freedom to just do what you'd want to do online and it has been a long time coming. I'm not saying it's right, it's wrong, it's not comfortable definitely, but it's been a long time coming. But I don't think it will stop content creation. If anything, it will push the content creators to ask more of the people who come to them to put out their products. So let's just say the ticket price will change, it will go higher. And even the corporates are aware about this, it will happen. We'll just have to tweak one or two things, but as long as it doesn't change the fact that we are producing content online, which is what I support a lot and that's what we've actually introduced in the CUSA Awards and I'm really glad about that. It's not going to stop it, it's going to make it a bit harder, but people will change with that. It's just like when the price of fuel changes, it affects other prices, so the price has changed. People still continue buying that, so it will not affect content creation. People will just adjust to it. Okay, you were used to being on the screen, now you're doing your things behind, not behind really, but you're not on the limelight per se. What do you think? Is there any challenge you're facing? Are you okay? You know, something like that. Just getting to know what you're fighting for. No, it's again, I'm okay, very much okay. It was a shocker what happened because it wasn't according to me, my timing. I wasn't going to be in a newsroom forever, and I was transitioning anyway, but it wasn't according to my timing. But I'm actually in touch with my brand and myself in terms of what my worth is as Mark Masai, the brand, more deliberately, and going out there, and there is a good feedback from the market, and I'm very happy with the feedback I'm getting. And so it's actually been a point and a journey and a space of appreciating that my value is so bigger than I thought it was, so much bigger. So what is like your future, Mark Masai, your broadcast, you say you're also running something, your business, what is your future like? My future is, I trust Bright, I'll just keep being Mark Masai, it's still the same OG, even though I might have been on TV, and now I'm not quite on TV, I'm still the same OG, Mark Masai, and you can expect more activation of my brand online, whether it's in influencing the content creation, acting, look out for the screens in July 7th on Showmax, there's something coming, and it's all about really putting out the different facets of my brand that I wasn't quite able to explore before. Wow, maybe you can talk to a young broadcaster, someone coming up, you know, a young content creator, someone who's trying to find their self out, and maybe advice Kenyans and all that, and maybe we can close with that. I'll tell you, don't look for an employer, for you to feel that you have what it takes for your future. You can be your own employer, nothing wrong with pursuing an opportunity if you get an opportunity on a channel, go for it, it opens your mind, gives you the platform, and I love and I appreciate the employers that have been in my career, because they made me who I am, it takes someone's effort, but they made me who I am by putting me out there, giving me a platform, but to those students coming up, and I've been telling them for years whenever I meet them, don't tell me you want to be the next Mark Masai, don't tell me you want to come to this station or this station. Today you have a platform, if you have access to the gadgets, access to the internet, you have access to the world basically, you can be an overnight sensation, so take it upon yourself, think about what you have, and I'll tell you what someone told me not too long ago, six months ago, finish this sentence, only I can, if you finish that you'll know where you're going. Masai, congratulations, you are a role model to many, you inspire many, many journalists. One question is that, I know it was too early for you, was it fair in you leaving your former bosses, was it a fair dismissal? And then another question is, have you had any TV offers, jobs on table, any come back soon, any time? I knew you were that guy. That's a bait question, good one. Let me say this, there's nothing really fair in life. So if you look out and expect life to be fair to you, who the hell do you think you are? People have gone through a lot in life, but let me say this, what happened turned to a very fortunate thing for me. Right behind the camera here is my family at the Professional Marketing Services, PMS. Hadn't it been out there that I've left NTV, my boss Joanne Mwangi-Yelbert wouldn't have known of it and called me. And now I work with a great team that is behind there doing a lot of communication, public relations, marketing, BTL, franchising, that I wouldn't or merchandising, that I wouldn't have learnt Hadn't I left NTV. So life is not fair and it's not pegged to anyone, not pegged to the former employer or your future employer. Life is life. Deal with it, move on. And I'm not bitter in any way. Life is coming anyway. I wasn't going to be in a newsroom forever, in that particular newsroom. Whether or not I'll join another newsroom, you'll find out in the next few. Whether or not I've gotten calls, yes I have gotten calls. And I'm not yet there, I'm still here. I'm happy to be a professional marketing services director of public relations. But you never know what the opportunities might hold. In fact, this interview with you guys might be a platform where someone else sees me and says hey, I think I want to work with them in this way. And again, in my space, I'm free to explore. I can still be in PR and still have a platform with someone. Heck, I could even join you guys.