[kictanet] Media Reports

Mon Jun 15 17:35:34 EAT 2009

Wainana and Bakuli,

While it is fine to focus on both 'good' and 'bad' news, it is imperative
not to go to the extreme. Kenya's media is always biased... giving a
negative lopsided information about the happenings in Kenya. Remember the
PEV?
Then what happens after the signing of the National Accord? The media is now
focused on political views which are likely to spur another war. Maybe
selling news makes profits for these companies, but what about the future of
Kenya?

My analysis of the media (I stand to be corrected:

   1. *Al- Jazeera* talking wars, wars wars wherever they shoot, but mostly
   in the Middle East
   2. *KBC* supports the government even when things are awry - in rare
   circumstances do we find it analyszing things from the objective
   perspective. Most of the information is based on the development agenda the
   government is doing
   3. *KTN* anti-government listen to the analysis, news and commentaries,
   everything is against the government.And just like KBC will try to balance
   the news content depending on the volatility of the situation or when the
   other media is attaked politically
   4. *NTV *and *CITIZEN *pro-government. Everything ranging from news,
   analysis commentaries, is inclined towards the government's position.

Why did I draw this observations?

   - When the former Minister for Information, Raphael Tuju said that media
   should have 40% local content, he knew what he was talking about. The
   results would mean more local programmes whould be aired thus employment for
   the youth and upcoming creative minds. The 40% was just a stepping stone and
   it would probably increase as we continued to appreciate local media
   programmes. Only Citizen has achuieved promotion of local content by greater
   margin.

   - Most of the time we are 'idle'. By being 'idle' here I mean we only
   wait to watch news at one, four, seven and nine daily while most of the time
   is slated for music from the west, cartoons, documentaries, FA premier
   League and Mexican and South East Asian Soaps.This makes a curious observer,
   'idle around' before the favourite programme mostly news is aired four times
   a day. Now this person might not be at home during the day and he/she only
   makes it home at eight waiting for the nine o'clock news. When he/she is at
   home, it is DSTV, CNN, Al-Jazeera, Super sport etc. In developed countried,
   such as the US and UK, they have programmes and TV stations for a specific
   audience. If you like cooking, there is a TV channel that concentrates on
   cooking 24 hours. The same also is true for gardening etc. This means
   everybody is occupied and you'll never hear of post election violence there
   and such petty stuff!
   - There is another phenomen which I have observed critically. Local media
   house tend to inclie towards international media house especially if it
   airing news or programme courtesy of the latter. For example, because CNN is
   presented on both KTN and NTV, these two stations will be pacjaging their
   content to fit CNN! A total lack of creativity. For instance, during the
   Budget Day speech, I saw NTV having their camera operators and a reporter,
   tell us how they covered the budget - running up and down. I've seen such a
   programme on CNN. KTN on the other hand would show us the new crane they
   recently acquired. If this is not conspicuous consumption, then I don't know
   what it is.

I'm not in any way saying that our media houses are useless. They at least
play a role of informing, entertaining and educating the masses.

My views.

2009/6/15 Wainaina Mungai <wainaina at madeinkenya.org>

> As one of the people who brought up the Mungiki issue, I'd like to
> clarify that my concern is having it overplayed - not that we should
> blackout such news.
>
> The issues should be reported but not in the way they are being
> portrayed at the expense of everything else - and even empowering
> Mungiki's objective to terrorise.
>
> There must be other ways to lobby Ministers/Govt without dehumanising
> everyone else.
>
> Wainaina
>
>
>
> On 6/15/09, Luvisia Bakuli <luvisia.bakuli at gmail.com> wrote:
> > The media need to report both the good and the ugly news. Our wish that
> > they focus more on positive stories than negative ones may not help the
> > country in the long run. I think the anger voiced on the list at the
> > current media stories about Mungiki's menace in Central Province is
> > misdirected.
> >
> > Real people are dieing in those villages and we cannot wish that those
> > deaths were not reported. Rather let's pressurize the Minister and PS in
> > charge of internal security, the Administration Police, Police,
> > Paramilitary (GSU), CID, Special Branch, etc to contain this menace.
> > These government officials should be made to account for these deaths –I
> > think we need direct our anger and questions at these people not the
> > media. Bakuli
> >
> >
> >
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-- 
Solomon Mburu
P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi
Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041

Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the
same way to the side of a hill!

AND

It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity!

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