OF NEWSPAPERS MISQUOTING PHOTOGRAPHS

If facts are sacred, misquoting photographs should be sacrilegious. This may sound improbable because the media is more often accused of misquoting people and misinterpreting facts. Or publishing or broadcasting content out of context. But how else can one describe a newspaper that uses one photograph to show two different locations?

The two identical photographs above, appeared in one daily, but in separate pages.

The photo is first used to illustrate an article about plans to develop Isiolo Municipality, in central Kenya.

On turning the pages, one shortly encounters the same photo, (a much larger version).

But this time, the story is about the safety of flights to and from Kisumu airport, in the western part of the country.

What informed this editorial misadventure?

Both Isiolo and Kisumu counties have airports, so having a plane in the picture works for the two locations.

But not the same plane.

That's plain stupid!

SPORTS JOURNALISTS, FOOTBALL AND BECOMING ONE WITH ALCOHOL

What do you get from a sports journalist covering a football tournament in a foreign country? Articles about football, yes? And if the writer is enterprising, you expect coverage beyond football matters, no? The writer can focus on drinking habits, and the cost of beer in the host country. However, not only is it good not to mix drinks, it's bad for alcohol and football to become one.

Old habits die hard, and this perhaps explains the intrusion of the football field terminology, in an off-pitch scenario, in the side bar article, above.

The writer, one can hazard a guess, was sampling the social scene of the host country, and came dangerously close to the point where football and alcohol became one.

(Loosely translated to insinuate inebriation).

There's hardly any other colourful way to justify this statement:

'Beers in Nairobi go for between Sh200 and Sh350 defending on the brand and location.'

Well, it depends on whether one is being attacked by alcohol, or a competing team's attackers!

MEDIA MISMATCH, LOCAL NEWS AND CONTINENTAL TITLES

Influential people often get extensively featured in the media. Politicians definitely get more than their fair share of coverage. A number of such Kenyan leaders have multiple roles and attendant titles. Is it too much to ask that when captioning such personalities, their identities be put in the relevant context? Continental titles in a local news setup is clearly a mismatch.

It's all good to recognise important roles or status of newsmakers, and in the process, also help a viewer to appreciate why the views of the person appearing on TV are significant.

A Special Envoy of the African Union in a broadcast, is likely to add value and also help sustain attention in a news story.

But how is this even remotely related to...wait... not even a national matter...but a very local county governance issue?

The editorial competence on display here, I suspect, is suspect!

INTENDED ACTION HEADLINE AND AN UNINTENDED REACTION

A journalist or any writer must know that the interpretation of what's already published is likely to be beyond their control. As such, care should be taken to ensure any semblance of vagueness is dealt with, to narrow down the chances of misinterpretation. A headline can be loaded with many call to action words, but end up causing an unintended reaction.

The headline of the newspaper article above, can lead to a very 'dangerous' interpretation, which the writer and many a reader would be quick to frown upon.

What are people being urged to do?

"Embrace, encourage and support female genital cutting warriors"

Say that again slowly....but now with emphasis on the part that says:

'...female genital cutting warriors.'

What are we talking about here?

A warrior is a skilled fighter...so here...it can be somebody who is experienced in...female genital cutting?

Notice that it's not clear if the warrior is fighting against female genital cutting.

But, a warrior, in contemporary usage, can also be a reference to somebody engaged in a defined struggle or cause.

However, note again that the headline does not directly imply this warrior is against female genital cutting.

The constraints of space notwithstanding, the headline would have better communicated the message if it read:

"Embrace, encourage and support ANTI-female genital cutting warriors"

A good sub-editor should strive to panel beat the copy to make it as close to the intended meaning as possible.

Simply put, avoid being vague like the plague. And it's better to be obvious than ambiguous!