TV NEWS NEWBIES, MAINA, 'MEINA' AND A MINOR FAULT MANIAC

It's always pleasant to see fresh talent coming through the Kenyan TV news scene. It's an apt assurance that the fine craft of journalism will have continuity. What's coming through could range from raw brilliance to refined resilience on the training curve. But if it's written Maina, and looks like Maina, it's very likely not supposed to be pronounced 'Meina', lest you awaken a minor fault maniac.

The story depicted above was delivered in an unusual yet delightful way, away from the pattern of visuals, soundbites, natural sounds, sign-off, prevalent across many local TV news channels.

Unfortunately, what stood out for this particular 'minor fault maniac' is the feeble attempt to anglicise the local name of the key subject in the story.

The folly of perhaps wanting to sound sophisticated falls apart on the alter of inconsistency.

The reporter strives to maintain the 'Meina' reference but on more than one occasion, the 'unsouped up' version comes through as the common 'Maina'.

It's good to aspire to be different, but being authentic is often good enough.