[Kictanet] Kenya ICT Action Network Condemns Overnight Raid on STANDARD AND KTN Offices

[mike theuri]

I believe we need to exercise more objectivity. If the Nation could not
verify a story does
that mean the Standard is not capable of doing what the Nation could not do
? When
the Nation was exclusively reporting on the AL scandal (which coincidentally
is not
receiving the focus among other reports ie Goldenberg, Ndungu report
following
the attack on the Standard), was that irresponsible reporting since the
Standard did
not corroborate what the Nation was reporting ? There is indeed a reason why
in media
circles there is something known as a "scoop". The Standard left it up to
the objectivity of the
readers to make their judgement and stated it had spoken to specific sources
who were
not named, is this irresponsible when it has not yet  been proved beyond
resonable doubt that
those sources do not exist ?  Was it irresponsible for those who have seen
the Githongo
dossier for the Nation to report on matters that certainly touched on
substantial matters
of National Security ?

>From the original article, numerous sources have been cited, has it been
proven by way
of the same sources who are cited that the Standard fabricated those sources
statements ?
Until that happens let us not be quick to judge, besides the matter is now
before the courts.
Sure there are many examples in today's media of irresponsible journalism,
this one just does
not appear to make that cut, however ultimately the outcome of the court
case shall determine
that aspect :

            The Saturday Standard *established* that Kalonzo visited State
House on Thursday
            February 16, at 8.30pm, after a brief stay in Nakuru on his way
from Baringo
            where he had met 120 Kalenjin professionals at Soi Lodge to seek
their support
            for the Presidency.

            *Sources told* The Saturday Standard that since the President
reconstituted his
            Cabinet after the referendum, Kalonzo had tried to get an
appointment with
            Kibaki through Kombo.

            Yesterday, *Kombo could not be reached* for comment. But one of
his assistants Ms
            Yvonne Khamati said *she was unaware of any talks* between Kombo
and Kalonzo over
            an appointment with State House.

            "If there are such talks, they must be along the lines of
forming coalitions. A
            lot of people are talking to the minister on the possibility of
forming an
            alliance," Khamati said.


            *Kalonzo could not be reached* as his phone went unanswered most
of yesterday. But
            one of his assistants said *there was no such meeting* between
Kalonzo and the
            President.

            Not many in ODM or LDP know about the Kibaki, Kalonzo meeting.
An official at
            the LDP Secretariat *Mumbi Ngaru said she has heard* of
Kalonzo's visit to State
            House.

            "*But that is all I know. I have heard of that*," Mumbi said.

            *A confidential source* close to Kalonzo, but who does not
approve of the former
            minister's move, told The Saturday Standard that the MP would
like to rejoin
            government.

Kenyan consumers have a right to exercise their personal bias and economic
rights by not
buying publications that thrive on irresponsibility and deception. The fact
that some of
the so called "gutter" publications are still in business is an indicator
that irresponsibility
in reporting does not outweigh responsibility within the media sector.
Simply put, one bad banana does not make the entire bunch bad. Yes, there
are corrupt journalists in the same
sector, some of them prominent, and it is indeed important that any
statements issued are
objective, but objectivity in doing so should not be used to compromise the
thrust of any
primary message. In this case an assault on civil liberties and freedom of
the press was
indeed the focus and as time will tell the story that has commonly been
associated with the
raid had little or nothing to do with the reasoning behind what took place
at the Standard.
Just as Ndugu Wainaina cites the example of a senior editor in the Standard
of having
been fired from the Nation for taking bribes, there similarly
are journalists in the
 "responsible media" who regularly receive brown envelopes so as to write
articles that
mislead Kenyans. The immediate former Minister for Information and
Communications
alluded to this fact but not many people chose to pay close attention,
neither was any
action taken. The fight against corruption must also be extended to include
the media
as well as any other sector that has been tainted by this scourge.

I believe there is no law barring a media outlet for being biased. Media
outlets have a right
to serve segments that they deem to be profitable. Private media outlets are
not funded with
tax payer funds and thus can afford to be biased. If the public felt that
the bias was not
acceptable then those same outlets would not be in business today, that is
not to say that
there are no limits to bias and as long as an outlet keeps to limits
established under law
then there should not no problem.


On 3/6/06, Wainaina Mungai <wainaina at madeinkenya.org> wrote:
>
> 1. Is the media in Kenya without blame? I have the likes of
> Standard/KTN/Kass FM/Inooro & Weekly Citizen et. al. in mind?
>
> 2. If not, then why do we find it hard to demand better services to the
> Kenyan consumer? Why do we find it so hard to say "and we demand that the
> media report accurately and without bias in their service to Kenyans". Just
> that, and we would have moved a step forward in objectivity.
>
> 3. The Nation did not publish the Kalonzo/StateHouse story because "it
> could not be verified" even after they objectively checked with their own
> sources - http://allafrica.com/stories/200603030414.html . The Nation did
> not find the story plausible and all parties (Kalonzo, Raila and State
> House) claimed it was a fabrication. Who is telling untruths here and why
> should KICTANet so readily believe The Standard story. Since when did it
> become ok to fabricate strories? If the story was true, did State House LIE
> to Kenyans? We cannot escape from putting the media to task here because a
> fabricated story would be a dangerous precedent that KICTANet and Kenyans in
> general must protest. The same applies if State-House told Kenyans a lie. We
> should not allow this story to go away because it imply that the highest
> office in the land has resorted to outright fabrication of which we must
> protest.
>
> 4. Do we all remember that one of the senior editors at the The Standard
> was fired from Nation for taking a bribes so as to publish falsehoods? Why
> are we so convinced that the same would not recur in any media house? Don't
> we leavbe with the reality of Inooro and Citizen's biased coverage
> everyday?  Is this the media Walu is asking us to defend?
>
> 5. KTN or Citizen are not the "Kenyan consumer" of media products. Kenyans
> are helpless receipient of fabrticated stories while the media is teh
> offending party here. These media houses are not devoid of political bias
> and in some extreme cases, tribal bias. The days of people hiding behind an
> attack on "our people" when they are caught misconduct went in December
> 2002. No-one in government or outside it should use Kenyans as his defence
> when he has offended the ethical dmands of his/her vocation or even the laws
> of the land.
>
> Walu, the days of irresponsible media must come to an end as much as the
> days of draconian action. Neither the state nor the media has a right to
> abuse what freedoms and powers Kenyan (citizens and consumers) accord them.
>
> The Kenyan consumer comes first.
>
> Wainaina
>
>
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