[kictanet] Kibaki signs Bill into law

[dmakali at yahoo.com]

What disadvantage to ICT, Gilda, is caused by lumping so called ICT with broadcasting issues? That's hilarious. 
As for Bill's pontification below, my verdict is that he should seek to inform himself about media operations in kenya and elsewhere first before he purports to educate others. Some of the views he espouses are extremely pedestrian altho he wants to pass them off as truth. While I agree with the need to curb media conentration and monopolies, his suggestions about daily press being owned by the public or the masses are a bit misplaced. And the points being raised by the media are not necessarily those of media owners. Hello! Remove your blinkers and see facts for what they are. Your defence of the president and minister reeks of the sycophancy of yore. Presidents and ministers have to take responsibility for their actions or inaction, they are not rubber stamps!
Ask yourself why we have media concentration now, and how come most frequencies are held by politicians and or their cronies or allies. How did michuki, midiwo, koigi, etc come to own frequencies? Isn't there a cck? Don't you think it should be independent to avoid being bullied or be shielded from political directives? 
And to say the Act should be renamed ICT and not media doesn't amount to much change. Moreover, let the law speak for itself, we don't need anyone to explain its intentions or the meaning - least of all you! You are neither its author or implementer. A good law should be explicit and unambiguous in its meaning, not open to diff interpretation. Which is part of the problem with the new Act. Be honest at least. Skewed logic and such other partisan and ignorant views about the media and how it should investigate stories are clearly outside this law. Don't give it imaginary power. True, training and capacity of the media are issues worth discussing but not in this context. That's dabbling in  territory about which you can only speculate. Before you lament, have you ever investigated a story or given a newspaper an investigative lead? And to claim that the duty of a journalist is to report the truth and publish regardless of the consequence is plainly naïve and insensitive. 
Before you go far, read sect 5 of the Bill. One would expect that since you are reading the bill uncritically when the weaknesses of the bill are pointed out you begin to appreciate the concerns raised and not remain dogmatic in your belief that every criticism in malicious and govt is infallible. No?
Let's engage in constructive arguments and not spread hate. You have much to thank the media for than you know or can admit.
 David


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-----Original Message-----
From: "Gilda Odera" <godera at skyweb.co.ke>

Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2009 15:06:54 
To: <dmakali at yahoo.com>
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Kibaki signs Bill into law


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