[kictanet] [ke-internetusers] Kenya communications (amendment) Bill: Is media overacting?

Sun Dec 14 20:07:25 EAT 2008

Wainaina is right by every standard. This is a total over-reaction. The so called fourth estate in Kenya in their mindsets are untouchables even when it is so clear the scale of the mess they can cause to the Kenyan public-the same people they are claiming to be fighting for. 

The demonstrations on Jamhuri day, which I particpated, were not about the communications bill. Rather they were planned because of the refusal by MPs to pay tax as well as escalating prices of food. Groups were formed on facebook for those purposes. And civil societies have been in the same media calling for demonstrations but had not included communication bill as one of the reasons.The shock am still struggling to fight is how the media changed it to be a campaign for themselves. They have perfected the art of mis-informing Kenyans and wanting to get away with it. As if that is not enough, when an MP or a party like ODM comes up to disown the bill, our media gladly plays the clips to show cause why the bill is unpopular instead of hammering them for failing to attend the parliamentary sitting that passed the bill. Am feeling a bit sick about our media, however much we love them for the work they do.

But the message to you our friends is that nowhere in the world are media allowed work totally uncensored. In Rwanda, the media openly told the Hutus not to let a single Tutsi escape. And it was replayed like the safaricom adverts on national radio. Media must read what is designed for any such ugly situations in that light. The bill is aout extreme cases of media irresponsibility or "states of emergency" as they have put it. If any media house know they are totally responsible citizens, let them support the bill. After all its all about their irresponsible competitors.

(This is personal opinion. Sentiments expressed do not reflect those for whom I work for or work with)

--- On Sun, 12/14/08, Wainaina Mungai <wainaina at madeinkenya.org> wrote:

From: Wainaina Mungai <wainaina at madeinkenya.org>
Subject: Re: [kictanet] [ke-internetusers] Kenya communications (amendment) Bill: Is media overacting?
To: esmainah at yahoo.com
Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Date: Sunday, December 14, 2008, 6:53 AM

David,

I am very much involved the media and you & I know that it was agreed
that the Action Plan includes a "blackout to..." as well as all the
issues I indicated.The point is clear. I have told the truth relating
to the content of the Action Plan.

The question of execution is separate. Ndemo having been on K24 is
does not change much but it is not in line with the Action
Plan....meaning, we need to complement K24 for that step.

Let's be honest in our submissions especially concerning such revelations.

Wainaina

On 12/14/08, dmakali at yahoo.com <dmakali at yahoo.com> wrote:
> That's not true. You have obviously exaggerated in trying to put
across your
> cheap propaganda. Ndemo was on k24 this morning and he was of course not
> opposing the bill. Plus, you should ask yourself, who has come out to
> support the bill and not been given airtime.
> Yes, the media is campaigning, but it has not yet agreed or employed any
of
> the strategies you have listed. Their time is coming.  And we don't
need to
> go to previous regimes to show brutal attacks against the media. The worst
> have taken place under the current regime!
> You have more to be grateful than disgusted with the media. Be just a
little
> more reflective and considerate otherwise your diabolical hatred of the
> media lacks foundation.
> David
> Sent from my BlackBerry(R) wireless device
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Wainaina Mungai" <wainaina at madeinkenya.org>
>
> Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2008 17:08:09
> To: <dmakali at yahoo.com>
> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] [ke-internetusers] Kenya communications
(amendment)
> 	Bill: Is media overacting?
>
>
> The truth is that the "supporters" you see on TV, hear on radio,
read
> in papers are not by accident. The Media Owners Association (MoA)
> crafted a campaign strategy that includes the "media blackout to all
> MPs who supported the Bill and The Ministry of Information &
> Communications".
>
> According to persons privy to the media campaign strategy, we have a
> big problem here and it's about time Kenyans were told the objective
> truth. Unfortunately, the people who own the media houses are
> determined to use every possible means to ensure the Bill is not
> signed. You will not hear a supporter of the Bill being given
> coverage.
>
> Why?
>
> The strategy is clearly not intended to yield an objective result. The
> intention is to shape public opinion even through biased reporting.
> The strategy includes:
>
> 1. Ensure President dioesn't sign the Bill, by publicly petitioning
him.
> 2. Take advantage of Jamhuri Day to show images of raids conducted by
> previous regimes.
> 3. Run a media campaign that includes 'same headline' in all
papers
> and similar headlines on electronic media.
> 4. Shape public opinion through campains and show that the Bill is
> unconstitutional...etc etc
> 5. Blackout all supporters of the Bill, Ministry & only invite civil
> society players who support the interests of the media. Keep watching
> and you'll notice the biased reporting.
> 6. The coverage of the issue in the weekend papers (circulation) is
> also part of the strategy. This will not stop until the President
> yields to the Media's agenda.
>
> The media has the right to petition the President but the problem with
> their campaign is that Media Owners have actually agreed not to cover
> the issue objectively. They have conspired to shape public opinion by
> all possible means including excluding all those who have a different
> opinion.
>
> In doing so, they demonstrate the need for legislative regulation. The
> nation is now at the mercy of the media and the public will only be
> fed with one side of the story.
>
> Over to you.
> Wainaina
>
>
> On 12/14/08, Kinuthia Muchane <muchanek at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Habari,
>> Maybe the media is overacting, maybe the the MPs are wrong... But one
>> interesting thing about this issue is the timidity of the MPs, to
begin
>> with, in the news all I am hearing are our dear elected
representatives
>> vowing their undying support for all sorts of freedom, including that
of
>> Press, so my question is, isn't there one, single MP who supported
>> passing of the Bill who can come out in defence of his or her stand?
Or
>> is it because they always pander to the Press, they do not want to be
>> seen in 'bad' light .
>>
>> On the other hand, most of us take what we hear on the radio or watch
on
>> TV as gospel truth, and the unfortunate fact of life is that the
>> majority of us have no other source of  information, or do not seek
other
>> avenues of
>> getting information, a fact very well
>> known by members of the so called "Fourth Estate". So when
they drench
>> us with "details" about the dangers of the bill's
amendment no matter how
>> skewed their
>> opinion is, we will believe them hook, line and sinker!
>> If you ask me, in a country like ours with a very shaky social,
>> political and economic foundation, these merchants of
>> "information" should be very closely and regularly
monitored, a Radio
>> Mille Collines can happen here very easily...
>> In any case, ain't all these media 'houses' just
commercial enterprises
>> out to make a tidy profit?
>>
>> Kinuthia...
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>
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