Journalists owe a duty of care to people new to being interviewed
Mrs Pauline Waithira, 70, popularly known by her nickname 'Mama Mboga', who acted as a proposer for William Ruto on June 4, 2022, when he presented his credentials to the IEBC at the Bomas of Kenya for clearance to contest the presidency.
People new to being interviewed may not know how the media operate. They may not appreciate that journalists have a job to do—to provide news of interest and importance to their audiences. If the story embarrasses or shames them, too bad, that’s the way it is.
People who are media-illiterate—as opposed to media-savvy—may not be able to weigh up the consequences and risks of what they say to the media.
They may not appreciate that the media thrive on controversy. If what they say is controversial, so much the better for the career of the journalist and the media audience reach.
Often, in interviews journalists ask leading questions or indicate the kind of answers they expect. People who are unaccustomed to being interviewed may easily go along with the thinking or the views of the journalist.
Here is an example from a case we will be looking at shortly: “Walikuwa wakiniita any time wakati ya kampeini…(Journalist: Lakini saa hii hawakuhitaji?) The interviewee responds: “Where? Hata ka-party hata kamoja hawajawahi kuniita mimi…” Roughly translated: “They used to call me at any time during the campaign… (Journalist: But now they don’t need you?) Never. They don’t even invite me to their parties.”
Such inexperienced interviewees—incapable of controlling the interview—may not even understand what they agreed to be interviewed about in the first place.
They may say things they never imagined would make news headlines tomorrow. And they may not know that what they say may have implications for other people that could ruin their relationships with them.
They may also not know what they say may be forever archived in the internet, which can haunt them in future. The internet, which is said not to forget, is unforgiving and the media unsympathetic and heartless.
Journalists, therefore, owe such people a duty of care. They should treat them not simply as sources of information but also individuals who are vulnerable. Journalists are ethically obligated to make sure such people understand what they are being interviewed about and what they say is what they mean.
Such people can easily become victims of extractive journalism. In extractive journalism, a journalist rakes up the personal life of a person in search of a story. Then he publishes the story without caring about the harm it may do.
A case in point is Pauline Waithira. Popularly known as “Mama Mboga”, she acted as the proposer for presidential candidate William Ruto before the IEBC on June 4, 2022. She was also used by his party, UDA, as a poster girl for the “Hustler” movement.
Leading story
After Dr Ruto won the August 9, 2022 elections, she retreated to her King’ang’i Market stall, in Kiambu Town, where she sells avocados.
Then, apparently wanting to know how she had been faring one year on, two journalists parachuted to her stall. The first one took her picture—she says without her permission—and posted it on social media to show that she was living in poverty.
The second was Nation journalist Simon Ciuri, who interviewed her for two and a half hours. The resulting report became the leading story in the Daily Nation of June 5, 2023.
“They used me”, read the front-page banner headline. The story said she was bitter because, after being used to market UDA, she was abandoned. None of her powerful friends picked up her calls anymore, she said.
It was a sensational story that gripped the nation and must have ruffled the feathers of UDA bigwigs. But two days after the publication of the story, Ms Waithira recanted the story. But the Nation stood by its story.
Behind all the recanting and “we stand by our story” stance, however, it was clear what the problem was: Ms Waithira was naïve in the way she dealt with the media.
“I was very annoyed,” she said while recanting her story. “Even now, I’m very much annoyed. Nani alimpigia simu ati mimi nina shida? (Who called you [or him] to say that I have a problem?)”
The object lesson in this saga is that a journalist should always disclose the full purpose of an interview, especially with the uninitiated [no offence].
He should also ensure that what the person says is what they mean. Such inexperienced interviewees should never have to feel that they were deceived, tricked, misused or exploited by the media.
- The Public Editor is an independent news ombudsman who handles readers’ complaints on editorial matters including accuracy and journalistic standards. Email: [email protected]. Call or text 0721989264.
