[kictanet] Media council Draft bill 2010 (Day Eight--Code of Conduct/Wrapping up)

[Grace Githaiga]

Dear Walubengo, KK, Lydia, McTim, Edwin, Alice and Solomon for your contributions. A quick response.
 
Walubengo, thanks for that pointer to the Tribunal that handles disputes in the ICT Sector. If it is working, it definitely is worth looking at how it operates.
 
McTim, sorry about the outdated Code. I hope you will get a chance to look at the proposed one which does not differ much from the one in the Media Act of 2007.
 
KK, I see your point about provocative headlines. Different media houses use catchy headlines to get the attention of the reader, and yes you have a point on the practicality of this. I also see your concern on article 12 of the code. Would say 'Jicho Pevu' be justifiable? In article 16, and just to follow on your concerns, I am just thinking that if a journalist has 500 shares of Mumias Sugar, will s/he need to disclose to the editor every time there is a story about mumias? I have no answer. I am also being hypothetical. 
 
Edwin, you raise an issue that we must pay attention to. I am happy that Alice has responded and raised the challenges of regulation of blogs and social media and even a major challenge of how they would be made to adhere to a code of conduct. 
 
Lydia, I agree with you that it would have been good to have media's contribution into this debate. I have no answer as to why they have not participated. Maybe they are just too busy or they have another platform. However, the contributions that have come from non-media people on this list have been very useful and will still inform the Bill, as the new constitution places people at the heart of policy making processes.  Maybe media people on this list can respond to Lydia?
 
Solomon thanks for going through the code and pointing out gaps. Your point about the need for media to be guided by tenets acceptable to wider population has been noted. 
 
In 1(a), did you mean that there is need to distinguish between a reporter, editor and broadcaster?
 
On 1(b) and (c), I agree. 'Promptly' needs to have a specific time line.  On 3 (a) I agree that the issue of confidentiality may need further debate. Further the contradiction on 7 and 3 is noted. 
 
On 9, I think you raise the issue of how 'public interest' will be determined. 
 
The need to integrate the Children's Act and the Sexual Offenses into 18 and 19 is noted. 
 

And yes, the national cohesion and integration commission has guidelines for monitoring hate speech in the electronic media. Hate speech is defined as any utterance or words intended to incite feelings or contempt, hatred, hostility, violence or discrimination against any person, group or community on the basis of ethnicity, religion, or race.

 
Rgds
 
 
 
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If you have the strength to survive, you have the power to succeed. Life is all about choices we make depending upon the situation we are in. Go forth and rule the World!



  		 	   		  
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