Quality journalism: Go back to basics

The principal goal of journalism awards is to promote excellence in the profession by setting standards for quality reporting, fostering creativity and innovation and recognising the critical role of journalists in informing the public and holding those in power accountable. 

In addition to recognising individual journalists and their work, the awards can also promote the sharing of knowledge and best practices in the industry by giving journalists opportunities to learn from one another, collaborate on projects and build networks.

The Media Council of Kenya’s 2023 Annual Journalism Excellence Awards (Ajea) offered a platform that serves as a reminder of the importance of journalism. It also presented lessons to enhance professionalism in the Kenyan media. I picked some lessons as chairperson of the Nomination Panel.

Of the record 1,256 entries, 68 journalists were awarded for their unique storytelling capabilities; bravery in the pursuit of untold stories, seeking to change stereotypes or misleading narratives; holding the government to account; timeless effort in getting views from diverse, often difficult or far-flung sources, particularly lending a voice to the voiceless; excellent command of the language they chose to tell the story in; and the overall contribution to the profession.

Some stories evoked so much emotion that one had to take breaks. This is what journalism is about: Telling stories that strongly impact the audience, leaving them yearning for more or wanting to make a change for the better.

The diversity of media houses that won also shows journalism has evolved, with community radio stations giving a good show.

On the flip side, the 1,188 entries that did not make the cut show there is a lot more to be done, not just by journalists but also stakeholders such as editors, media owners, trainers, the media regulator (MCK) and associations.

Four aspects stood out for me. First, glaring grammatical errors and poor use of language, as evidenced by long, dull headlines and inconsistency in some stories, exposed what is likely to be a teetering reading culture. 

Journalists do not live in a vacuum and have several factors (such as the proliferation of the internet and increased workload due to layoffs) competing for their attention. But one can only write well if they read. 

Serve integral roles

Journalists serve integral roles, which include informing and educating society; interpreting information; as well as framing political, societal and economic issues. Unesco says, “Citizens cannot exercise and enjoy their citizenship in the absence of crucial information and knowledge, which is what well-trained journalists are best placed to provide”. 

Secondly, the judging, which gives a bird’s eye view of the journalism landscape in Kenya, underscored the importance of continuous training on the tenets of the profession, including adherence to the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism in Kenya.

Thirdly, there was an incomprehension of the categories—for example, the skewed notion that the term ‘gender’ only refers to women was perceptible. Additionally, most of the entries in this category only focused on female genital mutilation yet there is a plethora of issues uniquely affecting the genders. The same case with the health category; most of the entries centred on HIV and Aids. There was also the presumption that a digital story is a print article accompanied by an image and published on a website. It is not.

Lastly, journalists should shake off the aphorisms that it is only when ‘man bites dog’ that you have news or ‘if it bleeds is when it leads’. If the world no longer had wars, deaths, natural disasters, political upheavals, et al, would it signal the end of journalism? 

In his seminal book, I Accuse the Press, Philip Ochieng posits that some journalists unwittingly own up to the charge of catastrophe-mongering: Making money from mental pollution. Yet thought leaders argue that one of the ways to win back audiences, who have become allergic to negativity bias in the news, is to embrace constructive journalism. What we know as news is “broken” and it must be repaired to regain trust in the media.

Learning is a life-long process and, to thrive in and outside a newsroom, one must upskill and develop a culture of reading. It is the only way to be an outstanding journalist. Journalists can take advantage of trainings offered by local and international organisations, most of which are virtual. 

The onus is on them to introspect, identify where the gaps are and upskill. Newsroom managers and media owners must acknowledge the overall benefits of an upskilled employee and support journalists in their pursuit of enhanced knowledge.

Ms Ombaka, a writer, editor and media trainer, is a former sub-editor at Nation Media Group and Citizen TV and past vice-chairperson of the Association of Media Women in Kenya (Amwik). [email protected].