[kictanet] how positive can foreign media be?

[Evans Ikua]

Makali, I totally disagree with you. For a long time we have suffered this
thing of the foreign media coming to Africa and ONLY reporting on the
negative issues. Its either children starving, or tribal wars,  as if there
are no problems where they come from!

While this may be be actually happening, there is an immoral focus on only
the negative news. While am not saying that he local media are angels, but
at least they got one point right this time round. This is the fact that
the media plays a very important role in shaping opinion and even in
shepherding a population in a certain direction. This may not be a good
thing but its the reality. They realize that they are a part of this
country and if it burns, they will burn with it. They are stakeholders.
Remember the analogy of the egg and ham sandwich?

What of the foreign press? By focussing only on the negative stories all
the time, they not only give the wrong impression about us to the world,
but they also affect our relations with the outside world. Do they care? No
they dont. As long as they sell their stories they are fine. The more
sensational it is, the higher the ratings. As a Kenyan, I have a problem
with that.

Evans


On Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 11:09 PM, <dmakali at yahoo.com> wrote:

> On reflection, I wonder whether this outright condemnation of foreign
> media and how they expected us to slaughter each other is not ironical.
>
> I dnt hold any brief for the Western press but what did we expect them to
> do? We keep telling our countrymen in Budalangi to plan ahead to avoid the
> perils of the perennial floods. If they moved uphill with their belongings
> and it did not rain would you mock and call them stupid?
>
> Going by the 2008 precedent, wasnt electoral dispute and possible violence
>  a reasonable  expectation on their part? Should we condemn them for
> preparing for the worst or congratulate ourselves for behaving well and
> differently this time (even as the saga continues)?
>
> The Western media have their weaknesses but gloating abt their
> "disappointment" methinks is a little bizzarre on our part. We should in
> the same breath condemn the numerous observer missions prowling every
> corner of the republic becoz we are suspected thieves of elections.
>
> In short, we have no moral basis to castigate the foreign press for
> showing skewed and prejudicial interest. Its enough to just deny them the
> reason.
>
> - Makali
>
> Sent from my BlackBerry®
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ICT Researcher <ict.researcher at yahoo.com>
> Sender: "kictanet" <kictanet-bounces+dmakali=
> yahoo.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:57:58
> To: <dmakali at yahoo.com>
> Reply-To: ICT Researcher <ict.researcher at yahoo.com>
> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] how positive can foreign media be?
>
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> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>
> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
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-- 
*----------------------------------------------------
Kind Regards,
Evans Ikua,*
lanetconsulting.com,
lpi-eastafrica.org,
ict-innovation.fossfa.net,
Skype: @ikuae
Cell: +254-722-955831
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