Is yellow or financial journalism out to eat up and mince the noble field of journalism in Kenya. Many especially those in the receiving end have openly been saying that media freedom and its objectivity have gone to the dogs since that famous statehouse breakfast.
Allegations flying everywhere that the fourth estate has abandoned its watchdog obligation and instead went into a sweaty bed session with the government.
From giving opposition media blackouts to now aiding sales of the master’s propaganda. Having secured the public’s trust, the Kenyan media is slowly but steadily drifting from being factual and adopting the VAT journalism.
The worrying trend has got several veteran scribes in the industry in a worrying mode. Nairobi Exposed collected opinions from several of these comrades.
“Kenyan journalists need a refresher course. Just last week, they picked propaganda from social media and claimed the man who whipped Raila in Kinango was mad, and was irritated by his wife who was dancing at the dias with the VIPs. It was further written that a 40 year old, was a mzee. Well it later emerged otherwise.” Writes Mosoku Geoffrey a writer with one of the leading local dailies.
“And yesterday, we still picked rumours that several heads of state from AU will accompany President Uhuru Kenyatta to ICC. In fact it was suggested that Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni has cancelled Independence celebrations to join the bandwagon. Why are we journalists he’ll bet on pleasing the system? Where is our professionalism? Why can’t we verify simple facts.” Mosoku goes further to state.
Use of alarmist headlines, sensationalism of news is on the offing with Kwale incident being the most played. One would easily be made to believe that the following are from yellow journalists and damned when you realize otherwise
Michael Wandati another disgruntled scribe goes ahead to give his say,”
Yellow or Financial Journalism is what most of our trained and untrained members of the Fourth Estate have turned to in Kenya. How can a whole respected media house with “professional” News Editors, Editors and experienced newsroom staff publish sensationalised information just to sell their paper or gain readership and viewership. It was wrong to publish or to disseminate/propagate that East African Presidents which include Uganda Head of State Yoweri Museveni and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame including other noble and respected government officials and dignitaries. Journalism in Kenya has turned to be either Government propaganda mouth piece or it has just lost direction in Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime, it needs to be resuscitated back to life.”
Maxwell Wasike also another journalist goes further to reveal what could be the eating factor, “Kenyan media myself being part of is total crap they have failed to adress real issues expected of them all they do is violate journalism standards by pushing agenda and propagate propaganda for their regionmates.”
As aligned, Nairobi Exposed will be the media’s watchdog by exposing the lies and propaganda on the mills be sure to mail us with any tip. Journalism must be objective and the parties should adhere there’s no way around it.
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