Media blackout, police brutality and ideals journalists set for themselves

A media blackout is similar to a media boycott. In a media blackout, you make sure that information about something is not reported.

It’s wholesale censorship or suppression of information. A media boycott stops people from buying or reading a newspaper, viewing a TV or listening to a radio station. It’s shutting down the flow of information to the public.

A media blackout can be imposed by the media or the government. But regardless of who imposes it, it is a violation of the right to freedom of expression, which includes the right to seek, receive and impart information.

A media boycott is imposed by influential persons or organisations. It can also be imposed by the media or the journalists themselves by refusing to cover a particular newsmaker. A media boycott undermines the right to freedom of expression.

Media blackouts and boycotts raise important ethical questions because the media have a social responsibility to inform the public. Should this responsibility be subjected to media blackouts and boycotts?

It’s a moot point. What is certain is that journalists should never threaten a media blackout on a bona fide newsmaker, or boycott a newsmaker because they don’t like his behaviour. Such a blackout or boycott would be vain and self-defeating. It would move the journalists away from the high goals they have set for themselves to inform society.

In the past few weeks, we’ve seen attempts at interfering with the social responsibility of the media. On March 21, Azimio leader Raila Odinga asked his supporters to boycott the Radio Africa Group, particularly The Star newspaper.

Journalists condemned the boycott, saying it would undermine the freedom and independence of the media. They called on Azimio to use “appropriate channels” to file their complaints against the newspaper.

The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) said the boycott was part of the efforts by politicians to manipulate public opinion and limit the freedom of the press. “Freedom of the press is an essential right that allows journalists to report on events, issues and people without fear of censorship or repression,” the CEO, David Omwoyo, said.

Shut down the internet

Widespread protests forced Mr Odinga to back down; he would rescind his call to boycott The Star three days later.

Last week, 17 journalists’ organisations, including the Kenya Union of Journalists and Kenya Editors Guild, met at Maanzoni Lodge in Lukenya, Machakos County. On Sunday, April 2, they announced they had received reports that the government planned to shut down the internet and some media houses.

That was to be done ahead of the fourth round of the Azimio demonstrations planned for the following day (The demonstrations were later suspended to allow for talks between the government and Azimio).

The journalists warned that the plans would stop the free flow of information and “throw the country in information darkness”. The blackout would be “a grievous assault on democracy” as it would deny the citizens their right to information”, they said.

They threatened to impose a media blackout on the government. KUJ Secretary-General Erick Oduor said they would begin with the police and the Interior Ministry in view of the violence meted out to journalists covering the demonstrations. They were particularly incensed by the attack on March 30 on Outering Road, Nairobi, in which a police officer lobbed a teargas canister into a car that was carrying journalists.

On the day of the Maanzoni meeting, President William Ruto addressed the nation. In response to a journalist’s question, he said: “Take it from me, Kenya has come a long way. The era of switching off I don’t know this or that...that is way behind us. I have said we will support the right of the media to carry out its functions.

You have our absolute support, irrespective of how biased you are against us. We will support you to do whatever it is that you are doing. But I am sure if we exchanged positions if you stand where I am standing, you guys would have switched off the media. But we will not.”

Talk of Michelle Obama’s “When they go low, we go high”. This was it. President Ruto cut the ground from under the feet of the journalists.

Hitches in downloading online ‘Nation’

I am an avid daily reader of the Nation for the past 40 years. Congratulations on a quality product that is consistently educative, enlightening and entertaining. 

For the past two years, I have on a daily basis purchased both the hard copy and the online edition. I find the latter very convenient. Occasionally, however, I experience technological hitches after downloading the copy, ranging from pages not opening, to fonts not enlarging, et cetera. This can be very frustrating. 

I plead with your office to look into these matters so that I get value for money while accessing journalism that is, without a doubt, world-class.

— Willie Thimba

* * *

Story on NCBA M-Shwari was erroneous

Do your articles go through any editorial review? Your story, “M-Shwari retains 7.5pc rate as competitors increase fee” by Kabui Mwangi (Business Daily, April 4, 2023), is erroneous. 

You just picked a notice sent to clients and published it without fact-checking. NCBA M-Shwari at 7.5 per cent is much more expensive than KCB M-Pesa at 8.85 per cent because NCBA excludes excise duty whereas the KCB one is all-inclusive. The entire piece is, therefore, erroneous. 

— Humphrey Njeru

* * *

Was Ichungwah joking about invasion?

I refer to the story “Day of high drama as gangs storm Kenyatta farm, Raila’s company” (Nation.Africa, March 28, 2023). The story reports that Kimani Ichungwah had alluded to the invasion. 

“Even those big lands, we will invade and those without land will be settled. Don’t think only ordinary Kenyans will lose their property. Even you (Uhuru Kenyatta) will pay a price if you continue to instigate violence and bloodshed in this country,” he is quoted as saying.

The story adds: “However, it was not clear whether these threats had anything to do with the invasion of the land yesterday or they were just made in jest.” Is the Nation serious? 

— Githuku Mungai

* * *

It is James, not John, Osogo

In my piece about “Today in History” (Daily Nation, March 24, 2023) I referred to John Osogo as one of the identifiable persons in the photo who were not MPs as of March 17, 1987. His first name is James, not John. My apologies.

— Harrison Kinyanjui
 

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