FROM MEDIA MONOTONY TO MEDIA MORONITY

The content across Kenyan media outlets can be very monotonous. You tune in to one news channel, and most likely stay there, because if you see one, it's like you've seen all of them. But nothing shouts lazy journalism more than when one publisher regurgitates what another has already put out. That's when media monotony morphs to media moronity.

The story of how Kenyan cars are registered using differentiated number plates makes quite a fascinating reading.

But, does it mean other media outlets should just copy what has already been published?

New angles can be used to add value to the original content, and still make the replicated read relevant.

You get a sense that this was not the intention here, because someone even decided to use the same photograph to illustrate the lifted story.

The take home lesson?

The biggest fan of a Kenyan media house...is a rival media house!

INTERNAL CHANGES AND EXTERNAL BREAKING NEWS RELEVANCE

Information shared with a 'Breaking News' tag grabs immediate attention, either because of it's significance, and/or the fact that what's being reported has just happened. It's thus a great way for a news outlet to showcase its ability to dispenses the very latest information. A key consideration, however, should be the relevance of the breaking news to the wider audience.

In the case above, it could be of interest to some that there's a change of editorial guard at the 'largest ' media entity in the East and Central African region.

But does this make the development suitable to be shared as breaking news? (Or with a breaking news handle?).

It's unmistakable that the source of the news was internal, so there's zero possibility of another media house getting the information out first, (now that would be a real breaking news, right?).

So, of what interest is this information to the general public?

At the very most, I think this implied change could easily have been sufficiently shared as 'normal' news, without the added sense of urgency, or heightened public interest significance.

And at the very least, this information could also pass for an internal consumption notice.

But the fact that this media establishment is a publicly-listed company, could perhaps make the management change acquire another level of importance, which requires transparency.

Therein lies the untold story!

OF MEDIA REPORTING ABOUT MISFORTUNES OF FELLOW MEDIA OUTLETS

For a long time, there had been an unwritten rule within Kenya's mainstream media, about not reporting the not so rosy internal affairs of any media house. But nowadays, tribulations of one media company are no longer a no-go zone. And sadly, beneath the veneer of projected sympathy, the coverage at times borders on rejoicing about a rival's misfortunes.

Job losses in the media industry are an emotive subject, hence perhaps the justifiable need to highlight this issue as public interest.

The press after all, routinely provides copious coverage of reorganization, resizing or restrategizing decisions, both in public and private entities, which result in redundancies.

But in so doing, there's little room to speculate that a media house could not be neutral in its coverage, although some vested interests in the downfall of particular establishments, cannot be entirely ruled out.

Some other factors, however, come into play, when it comes to one media house reporting about the goings-on in another outlet, possibly a direct competitor.

Should the struggles of one media company be viewed as an opportunity to shore up ratings or perceived superiority by its rivals?

I sincerely hope this is not, has never been, and will never be the case.

In the end factually, what goes around comes around.

Think of the manner in which one evening, a TV station stretched its coverage of the alleged disbandment of the Kenyan presidential press team.

The same channel was 'forced' to report news of it's own parent company's 'massive' layoffs, barely 24 hour later.

I should know a little bit more about these situations.

Sometimes back, on a very rare occurrence, I was sitting in the interview panel that was recruiting reporters for a then yet to be launched TV station, which has now just been closed down.

One of the applicants had unilaterally left previous employment, and I sought to know why.

"Are you a quitter?" I self-assuredly enquired, proud to be a direct hitter.

The very next day, I was handing in my resignation letter!

The Almighty has a way of humbling us...and we should be grateful it does not entail eating grass like Nebuchadnezzar.

INFIDELITY THAT BURNS WHEN TRUTH BECOMES TOO HOT TO HANDLE

Winds blowing from a stinging editorial in Kenya's top newspaper, have swirled into a public storm. The publisher is trying hard to convince a sceptical audience that the paper's independence is not in jeopardy. But the reality suggests that even though the truth can be too hot to handle, infidelity against it truly burns.

Angry reactions have followed this attempt to sanitize an unpopular decision, which seem to even rile past and current senior staffers of the same media organization.

I...I am....well...I have this 'evil' feeling some sentiments, like those being expressed above are not entirely sincere.

Call me an over-analyser and give me a breathalyser...I just can't help but wonder about the possibility of the media group on the spot, deploying its 'social media monolith' to tenderize the harsh spotlight.

Rarely can one find strong opposition to a decision, so closely stitched with words like, 'To his credit...' strategically leading to the self-criticism-worshipping quote, and link to the big boss's rejoinder.

....I mean, it just appears too calculated, like the post is also intended to achieve a covert purpose.

What do you think...or can we safely conclude that I'm crazy?

Below are other reactions from a fired up social media space.

A REFUND POLICY FOR FAULTY NEWSPAPER CONTENT

It's common for retail outlets to have a return or refund policy, in case customers are unhappy with their purchases. Likewise, Kenyan newspaper publishers should be compelled to have a refund policy. That would probably motivate editorial gatekeepers to be keener on pushing out a flawless news product. 

If one purchases a newspaper, it is like any other investment. And if one feels it falls short of the expected quality, then getting stuck with the faulty product is really being shortchanged.

So one, I dare posit, should be allowed to return the offending newspaper, of course within a reasonable period of time, and sensible condition of the paper.

This line of thinking has been prompted by a recent purchase of a daily, from the stable of the largest media house in East and Central Africa. The paper was remarkably 'substandard' and annoyingly mediocre.

The copious serving of atrocious grammatical errors left a nausea-inducing syntactic aftertaste, despite a renowned columnist penning a timely reminder, in the same edition.

Just what exactly was the above paragraph, for example, purposed to achieve? It starts off with a quote, then meanders into an incoherent non-sensical quandary.

The lead story for this particular daily was about Mutula Kilonzo Jnr winning the Makueni senatorial by-election with a very wide margin.

So, why should the paper have another story, suggesting the outcome of the poll was yet to be determined? And is it really necessary for the same quotes to be used in different but related stories?

The same paper on more than one occasion utilised some rather unusual, if not non-existent English words. Can the editors care to explain what meaning, 'nt' below is supposed to convey?

This 'invention' of new words could astonishingly also be found in an internal advertisement, from non-other than the newspaper publishers!

Or is 'refleted' a valid English word, dear sub-editor? And while at it, how can a book that has been released, be set for another release?

It's indeed a big shame to have even spelling missteps on the 'hallowed' page dedicated to literary discourse.

And it's utterly shocking the way this 'special' paper carelessly handled a story sent in by one reader.

One line in this article appears to be terribly misplaced, and looks like it could have more naturally be at the very beginning.

Then the clincher! The article just ends mid-sentence, (or is it mid-word?)

To be fair, this newspaper did have some great readings, like, "Sam Kahiga: Artist in every genre", and the very moving, "The triumph and tragedy of Francis Kadenge". 

Also standing out was, "Is it the end, or a second life for Kenya media". This article made a direct reference to me, (yes me!)

Being stranded amid an orgy of raging violence ranks as my most terrifying moment professionally. But I digress.

The author however, left out, what I think should have been obvious details in his 'great' analysis.

There was no mention of the People, (in its initial format as a weekly paper) the Star (which folded and is not related to what is published in the current market), or even the defunct Leader, which turns the above argument on its head.

And these observations, from one particularly 'gifted' daily, in terms of its array of errors, I strongly feel, makes a strong point for Kenyan newspaper publishers to consider introducing a refund or return policy for those irked/dissatisfied after purchasing news publications.

DAILY NATION DEMANDS JUSTICE FOR RWANDAN OPPOSITION LEADER

Kenya's leading daily newspaper has demanded that the Rwandan judiciary must accord the country's jailed opposition leader an expeditious appeal. In a very unusual departure from tradition, where such strong reactions are clearly labelled as editorial commentary, the paper stated that Victoire's Ingabire's trial fell short of international standards.

This is a classic scenario depicting the folly of failing to attribute. It's especially invaluable to journalism students. In this front-page story highlight, who is saying, "Victoire must get prompt and fair appeal..?" Take a closer look, if you please.

In the absence of any attribution, a reader can rightly conclude that it is the Nation Media Group, the publishers of the Daily Nation, which is articulating its position as an institution.

This, it goes without saying could be catastrophic for the largest media organisation in East and Central Africa. By taking such a stance, there could be very grave legal, political, commercial as well as diplomatic consequences.

And if this danger could have eluded the many levels of gate-keeping in such a reputable media outlet, it is indeed worrying, in my opinion.

This is more so because on turning to the page carrying the actual story, you clearly get to see that it is Amnesty International that is making the demands, in the aftermath of the jailing of Rwanda's opposition leader.

And to recap today's lesson: Attribute. Attribute. Attribute!

VICTIM OR VILLAIN, FIRED OR JUST TIRED? - WHY I LEFT NTV

T'was the night before February 4th, 2012. I was awoken from my slumber, at about 11pm, by a call from a senior editor, (whom I then reported to). For the record, (and the good folks at a leading mobile services provider can attest to this), information was passed to me, conclusively pointing to the demise of a former Cabinet minister, (now deceased). Being the duty editor the following day, and also designated to manage the online platform, I released the news to the public, via the company's social media accounts.

It was clearly a mistake. But should the blame have been entirely apportioned to an individual, or was it the company's news gathering and verification process that had failed, and hence the need for the responsibility to be borne collectively?

It became increasingly clear that my neck was squarely being put on the chopping board, going by the contents of the suspension letter handed to me, later that day. And up to this day, Bob Marley's words keep coming to mind, when I think of this incident.

Would you let the system make you kill your Brotherman?... No Dread No!

Unfortunately for me, it appeared like I was destined for sacrifice at the alter of betrayal, perhaps predictably, deserted by my colleagues, who very much precipitated my predicament.

Rather than prolong the pain from the apparent denial of fairness or justice, and the mental anguish of seeing personal professional principles I believe in, looking like they were non-existent to my senior colleagues, I resigned.

Yes. The erroneous information was sent out at about 7.30am that Saturday, retracted after about 30 minutes and an apology commendably published, suspension letter issued to me at around 3pm, before I tendered my resignation the very same afternoon.

After this dramatic exit from a company I had worked for, for nearly a decade, I opted to move on and close that horrid chapter in my career. Thankfully soon after, another opportunity elsewhere, came my way.

This episode did generate some rapid and at times rabid discussions, especially on social media platforms and the blogosphere. But I opted to keep my peace, and just watched from the sideline.

But now comes some discussions at a level that I simply cannot ignore, given the inaccuracies being propagated. My experience has now, it appears, become a case study of 'How not to practice bad online journalism.' 

In it's latest edition, a magazine published by the Media Council of Kenya, uses my example in two articles, (pardon the bad grammar), and even mentions me by name.

This presents a clear and present danger to my professional reputation as a journalist, on account of the misrepresentation of some of the facts espoused in the said articles, and more, so because the magazine is being distributed to the media fraternity in the country, from by and large, the local industry regulator.

The contradictions in the articles in question are glaring. One speaks highly of the need to captured all sides of a story, but 'conveniently' failed to seek my comment on the matter.

Moreover, there's this fixation with insisting I was sacked, which by omission or commission, suggests the company did the right thing by getting rid of an incompetent journalist, (me?)

As earlier pointed out. The information I pushed out was provided by somebody senior to me at the company. Furthermore, another senior editor did corroborate the details shortly afterwards. So, when did it become a professional crime to follow the lead of one's superiors at work?

If that information had been passed to me from somebody junior to me in the newsroom, I can guarantee that I instinctively would have cross-checked its veracity, with multiple sources and/or by counter-checking with my seniors.

Innocent but costly assumption

My assumption was that before the person I report to decided to call me, when I was asleep in my house, he had done the necessary background check and taken this sensitive information through the due diligence.

To make matters worse, I have reasons to believe that my seniors had already been made aware that the former Cabinet minister in question was then still alive, by the following morning. But none of them thought it wise to call me, to at least negate the discussion we had had the previous night.

Still, I took personal responsibility on account of having been the last gate-keeper. However, I strongly believed in this instance, there was a very necessary need to view my actions as a failure of the company's internal system, not as an indication of individual irresponsibility.

Had all these arguments been captured in The Media Observer articles, I think it would have made the content not only fair to me, but also more engaging, in terms of exposing the weaknesses of news gathering, processing and dissemination, in Kenyan newsrooms.

VARIETY AS THE SPICE OF EVERY NEWSROOM: THE CASE FOR FOREIGN INTERNS

As a tradition, the Nation Media Group regularly accepts nationals from various countries as interns. They bring some fresh perspectives and a new set of eyes that help interpret every day events in new ways. And yet their presence, especially on television, it appears, is not an altogether welcomed sight.

Not surprising perhaps, a foreign national reporting on local issues, cannot be expected to have a 100% grasp of the subject matter, right?

Wrong, in my considered opinion. If the intern or even an exchange programme journalist posted to a Nairobi media house has had relevant prior training, then they have a reasonable capacity to do a professional job.

In any case, such trainees are not just allowed a free hand but are guided every step of the way by experienced editors or news producers. So why should it be automatically assumed they cannot relate in a sufficient manner, with local issues they have been assigned to write or report about?

Moreover, is the colour of one's skin such a big deal that a white trainee will be viewed as having taken up an opportunity that should have been accorded a 'more' deserving local resident? I think not.

          A Local Kenyan Story, as Reported by Canadian Lisa Weighton

Unless of course the debate is taken through the narrow paths of racial profiling, historical subjugation or post-colonial hang-ups and supremacists polemics. In any case, Kenya is a multicultural society and fast becoming multi-racial to a critical extent.

And as argued by Robert Hernandez:

"If we don't reflect our communities....if we don't listen to others outside of our own individual communities, we've missed the point of journalism."

Now therein is a gem worth memorising.