When NTV shouldn’t repeat insults or add music to its news broadcasts

On Wednesday last week, a complainant asked me what the NMG editorial policy on publishing inflammatory statements is. “Last night,” he said, “NTV aired part of speeches by some senior politicians which have attracted a lot of criticism due to their inflammatory nature.”

Tuesday’s “NTV Tonight” edition featured a line of speakers, from Johanna Ng’eno to Babu Owino, spewing offensive and inflammatory words including “mama yako” insults.

 “Is it right for the media to air such vitriolic words? Are we not stoking ethnic tension by airing the very vitriolic and offensive words being complained about? What are the editorial guidelines on this matter?” he asked.

The NMG policy on reporting offensive words is captured in its “Broadcast Guidelines”. They state that, while journalists should fully report ethnic disputes, they should do nothing to exacerbate such events. But neither should the journalists shy away from reporting the true facts in full, they add.

Forbid stereotyping

The guidelines forbid stereotyping in news reports and urge NMG journalists to avoid incitement and inflammatory comments.

 “Inflammatory remarks and incitement can sometimes be an important part of the story. Their utterance ought to be reported as news, but the decision to repeat the inflammatory remarks on air should be weighed carefully.

 “The audience need to be told what is happening and who has said what about whom. But such remarks need to be handled with care because of the incendiary effect they can have,” the guidelines say.

The guidelines further state that news, views or comments relating to disputes and conflicts should be published after proper verification of facts and presented with due caution, balance and restraint in a manner that is conducive to the creation of an atmosphere congenial to national harmony, reconciliation, amity and peace.

“News reports or commentaries should not be written or broadcast in a manner likely to inflame the passions, aggravate the tension or accentuate the strained relations between the parties concerned. Equally so, content with the potential to exacerbate communal animosity or national conflict should be avoided.”

Editorial standards

The guidelines basically set out the editorial standards to give the NMG journalists the foundations on which to make professional decisions. The guidelines are not meant to be a substitute for good editorial judgement or applying common sense.

Therefore, my interpretation of the NMG editorial policy on reporting inflammatory words is that it’s flexible, allowing journalists and editors to decide when to report offensive words and whether to report them fully.

In the same “NTV Tonight” news, anchored by Mark Masai, music was used to introduce the segment on the politicians spewing insults and inflammatory words. The graphics that dominated the lower portion of the NTV screen read, in capital letters: “All Hail The Foul Mouths!”

The music was “Bad boys, bad boys/ Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do/ When they come for you....” The popular song by the Jamaican reggae band Inner Circle is the opening theme to the American TV series ‘Cops’ and is also used in the Will Smith and Martin Lawrence action comedy film series ‘Bad Boys’.

It’s not a good idea to add music to a news story. Olive Barrows’s commentary didn’t make it any better.

She crooned: “Bad boys! Bad boys! Have made many a girl lose her heart. And if her voting patterns are any indication, bad boys sent many a Kenyan voter’s heart aflutter, it’s believed. The bad boy of the day, Emurua Dikirr Member of Parliament Johana Ng’eno....”

Music can modify what is being broadcast, add mood and emotion and hurt the integrity of a story. It’s best avoided – unless the music is the story.

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.