Journalism Dry Cleaner

NO POLICY CAN FULLY POLICE SOCIAL MEDIA

2012-02-15T16:13:00.000+03:00

The line between Social Media and Traditional Media is gradually being obliterated. Not because these two are almost becoming one and the same thing, but by virtue of the fact that social media elements are being assimilated into traditional media platforms and vice versa.

Initially, major media outlets had been suspiciously looking at the growing influence of social media networks, perhaps hoping this would be another time-bound fad.

But the phenomenal uptake of social media and the massive incorporation of its elements in every day life has meant that any credible media outlet, ignoring the need to embrace this new dynamic in news consumption, would be doing so at its own peril.

At first, the main media house plunged head on into the social media terrain, hoping to capitalise on any inherent advantages and probably not giving much thought into the possible dangers posed by this action.

But upon realisation that it is just not goodness that oozes from the social media juice, many a traditional media outlet had a rethink and naturally sought to come up with formal rules to guide the use of social media elements.

Social Media Policy Futility

And off late, there has consequently been a flurry of social media guidelines being crafted and serious attempts to enforce a company approved online interaction policy.

This I believe is necessary, but only to the extent of ensuring there is some form standardised approaches that are close to a media company's overall ideals or values.

But I think it will be an exercise in futility for a media house to imagine that its social media guidelines will fully restrict, especially its journalists, from straying into uncomfortable territories that could 'embarrass' the company.

This is mainly because there is no escaping an ever present possibility of conflict, first because it is difficult for journalists to differentiate between their professional and personal lives, as far as the use of social media is concerned

And secondly, Internet-based interactions demand such a high degree of openness and transparency that a traditional media house would cringe at, given the sometimes deep and even clandestine dalliance with external forces and pressure from funders, state agencies, politicians or commercial entities.

So yes. No policy can fully police social media.

CRITICISING THE CRITIC AND THE BEAUTY OF BALANCE

2012-02-08T14:20:00.000+03:00

If you remember the lion story, (or the song about it), there's my side, your side and then the truth. Interrogating this truth is a key function of the media. And that is why a balance of opposing views is such a major pillar of journalism. So is Jeff Koinange on a political mission?

Well, according to seasoned journalist Sarah Elderkin, the host of K24's Capital Talk appears particularly 'hell-bent' on creating the impression that Prime Minster Raila Odinga had a hand in the International Criminal Court cases against Kenyans.

In a newspaper article, she asserts that Jeff is using his TV show to deliberately paint Raila in negative light, and even suggests the host could be manipulating his guests, in order to achieve his 'sinister objectives.'

Irrespective of who between Sarah and Jeff is on the wrong side of the truth or fairness, this in my opinion, is a very welcome discussion and quite refreshing.

I would love to see more critical analysis of TV programmes or even news bulletins in national newspapers, and similarly, incisive review of newspaper stories in the electronic media.

The way Sarah delves into the very details of Jeff's interview with Miguna Miguna for example, is outstandingly beautiful, whether she could be out to defend Raila's honour notwithstanding.

Narrowing down the focus to individual questions and their responses brings out possible undertones that probably were not so apparent, when viewing that particular episode on TV.

I would love to see Jeff Koinange inviting Sarah Elderkin on the bench, for a verbal sparring session, informed by whether or not Capital Talk has a hidden political agenda.

OF ATTITUDES, PLATITUDES AND 'RATITUDES'

2012-02-01T17:14:00.000+03:00

Kenya's recently appointed acting Finance minister is hardly a week-old in his new docket. The reaction to his elevation has however got more to do with a statement he made a couple of years ago. He urged Kenyans faced with food shortages, to start looking at rats in a more stomach-oriented way.

Practical as the advice was, and the fact that the rodents are indeed a delicacy in other parts of the world, swallowing that message alone, proved a bit difficult.

And because the same man is in charge of the country's Treasury, the social media especially, has been quick to make the link between the 'man of rats of yore' and the 'moneyman of now.'

The sample of comments below says it all.

NAIROBI OPEN DATA JOURNALISM WORKSHOP

2012-01-25T10:38:00.000+03:00

<p>&amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=9f8d11c1d4" &amp;gt;OPEN DATA JOURNALISM&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;</p>

40 MILLION KENYANS, SIX SUSPECTS: THE ICC VERDICT

2012-01-19T16:00:00.000+03:00

The welfare of 40 million Kenyans is about to be put on hold. And the interests of six citizens are about to dominate public debate and media coverage. The prospects of the six suspects at the International Criminal Court, have very much overshadowed the plight of IDPs, yet, these are two sides of the same coin.

There is no point apportioning blame for this state of affairs. If this becomes necessary, one needs only to look at the mirror, before dutifully pointing an accusing finger at what is reflected back.

But above all, may peace prevail, irrespective of the outcome of the ICC Confirmation of Charges hearings of the key post-election violence suspects.

Below, is a cross-section of views about the pending ICC verdict.

JOURNALISM AT WAR - THE PERIL OF BEING A PROFESSIONAL MORE THAN A HUMAN BEING

2012-01-11T14:57:00.001+03:00

War. Journalism. When the worlds represented by these two words collide, there's a very high chance of the humanity in journalists coming into conflict with their professional responsibilities. And this became evident, when the crew of a Kenyan TV station covering the war in Somalia, was caught in the crossfire.

Reporting of the war on Al Shabaab, being waged by the Kenya Defence Forces, has largely been consisting of the weekly military briefings, statements by the military's spokesman and almost daily print and broadcast stories filed by the various journalists on the war front.

The news items have markedly been devoid of any real combat action accounts, and at times even difficult to distinguish real facts from war propaganda. The Al Shabaab militia after all, has also been issuing its own favourable casualty figures.

But this routine was dramatically shattered, when the Citizen TV crew got the full brunt of the implications of reporting war, after Al Shabaab militants started firing at the convoy of Kenyan troops they were travelling with.

Such is the moment many people perhaps had been waiting for, since this incursion started last October. Real frontline action. And the experience was made even more alive, courtesy of the brave cameraman, who kept filming amid all the shooting. This is a major risk, even in terms of it later being a source of trauma. In her important publication, 'Reporting War,' Sharon Schmickle observes with relief that:

"A former sense of 'macho journalism' is giving way to a smarter approach that is grounded in scientific wisdom about trauma and its costs to people and job performance."

But the way the story was told in the subsequent evening news, however, was to me disappointing on two fronts. One, Citizen TV found it a tad too important to bask in the glory of being in possession of the exclusive dramatic footage, to the extent, I feel, of watering down the impact of the encounter.

Much as that story was visually thrilling and warranting some chest thumping by the channel, it provided a window into the dangerous world of the soldiers, fighting hard to safeguard Kenya's national security. And not forgetting the possible mental anguish of the journalist covering the same.

It would thus have been appropriate for the station not to appear too excited for getting this scoop, especially given the way their reporter on the ground appeared so shaken by the day's event, because this was in conflict with the 'celebratory' tone used in delivering the story.

Secondly, I think mixing the facts of the story and the personal experiences of the crew in the main story did not work well. Both perspectives are extremely important and this is why I expected two separate stories.

Proper context has to be provided, for viewers to appreciate why the reporter is more of a human being than a journalist, when he is recounting the frightening details of being caught up in enemy fire.

Otherwise, it would be very easy to ask, 'What does a journalist covering a war expect, if not to touch fear, taste blood, hear explosions, see dead bodies or smell death itself?' Maybe, but this does not mean the journalist has to always react with professional distance. Sharon Schmickle says:

"Allow yourself some normal response. Sure you are a brave correspondent, but you also are a human being with deep-seated emotions that may startle the journalist in you."

So let's applaud journalists covering war and lessen their peril by allowing them to once in a while keep aside their professional responsibilities and be human in reacting to the dangers they encounter.

THE 'MORAL CRIME' OF COVERING CRIME NEWS

2012-01-04T15:48:00.000+03:00

A television news crew on a New Year's eve assignment, stumbles upon a gang of youths, daringly robbing people in the streets of Nairobi. The crew keeps the camera rolling and the next day, the story is in the main bulletins. Did the news crew commit any moral crime?

According to some people, it was unfair for the TV crew to have just continued to film, as people were being mugged openly. Here is a sample of some of the complaints about this particular story.

'Seriously, am a big fan of NTV but after watching that clip, I realised you are only after news and you do not care about the common guy that was being mugged! Your editorial team is heartless.'

'Shame on the media for enjoying the miseries of the common mwananchi.'

'NTV crew says you trailed the muggers for 30 minutes, why didn't you alert the Central Police and you have their hotline numbers? Only to show Kenyans you are working and can't help them. Shame on you.'

It is during the coverage of such stories that one gets to appreciate just how complex the work of a journalist is, how difficult it is to meet perceived expectations from the public, and how easy it is to be vulnerable to all manner of condemnations, for simply doing you job.

This is what one of the NTV crew members had to say about this particular story:

"We were actually on our way to film another story, when we noticed a gang robbing people in the streets. As we trailed them, we kept warning people to avoid going in the gang's direction and urged them to stop using their cell phones openly. But sadly, some ignored our advice. The gang was violent and we too had to think of our personal security and that of the filming equipment. We did try to inform the police officers on patrol that we came across, but it seems like they were a bit overwhelmed because the gang kept changing their movement from street to street."

So there you have it. The team did it's best in having the welfare of those being attacked at heart, other than just focusing on the unfolding crime story.

This story, perhaps reflects the eternal predicament faced by journalists globally. Do you detach yourself from the suffering of the people you are doing a story about, or do you put your professional responsibility aside and be human first?

2011 BLOG ROLL: THE TOP TOPIC TREAT

2011-12-28T17:02:00.001+03:00

2011 has been, to use a retired cliche, a very eventful year. Going through all the blog posts for this year, also has its own revelations, about what interests readers the most. There's no prize for guessing because the most popular topic is an obvious one. SEX.

And as we see off the year and prepare to usher 2012, here now is a run down of the most favourite posts of 2011, in descending order, based on page view counts.

Sexual Healing On Kenyan TV: Connect And Get Cured?

Uhuru Kenyatta's Utterances: Using Storify To Aggregate Feedback

From Jamaica With Proud Shame: Dancehall Lesson For Kenyans

The Don'ts And Dont's For Female Television Presenters

Police Execution Or Crime Elimination?

Of Sex Toys, Journalism And A Veiled Product Endorsement

Does Failure To Mention Names Make Raila Odinga's 'Hate Speeches' Okay?

Morbid Fascination With Deaths: Lessons For Kenyan Media From America

The 'Now' Plague Afflicting Kenyan TV News Anchors

Separating Dowry From Bride Price: Who Pays What?

Preying Using Prayer: Away With Questionable Religious Shows On TV

News Presentation 101: The NTV County Edition Way

Big revelation of the year for me: I need to cut down the number of full colons in my blog titles.

May 2012 grant you all your desired wishes.

CAN ATWOLI ATONE FOR MISFIRING STRIKE BY TRANSPORT UNIONS?

2011-12-20T16:23:00.001+03:00

From the onset, calling for a country-wide strike with Christmas looming large, didn't sound like a bright idea. The country has been treated to a not so jolly ride of one strike after another and it seems apathy or fatigue has set in already. But Francis Atwoli and a bunch of unions in Kenya's transport sector saw things differently.

Atwoli had a day before the intended industrial action, delivered an inspiring speech that was televised live, in which he did somewhat managed to pass out as a darling of the down-trodden.

But the the lukewarm reception of the strike call, and the reality of attempting to organise a 10-day general strike in the middle of what is probably the most profitable period for the public transport sector, finally yielded some common sense in COTU.

Here is a glimpse of how this matter was perceived by Kenyans on social media networks.

HELP! A REVISE EDITOR TO ARREST ERRORS WANTED

2011-12-12T18:02:00.000+03:00

Revise Editor. Quality Controller. The importance of either of these titles or holders of these positions in a newsroom should never have to be justified. Automation or the loftiest of technological advancements just seem incapable of eliminating 'human errors' in finished news products.

With TV news, the level of alertness required from an editor is probably more taxing because, well, whatever is being processed, be it news highlights, lower-third story tags or titles, sometimes have to go straight on air.

And matters get complicated if it's one person doing this wonderful example of high pressure multi-tasking. The result: the hideous spelling mistakes you see in your evening TV bulletin, the humongous grammatical howlers or simply put, a very dedicated 'mission possible' to massacre the English language.

The solution: a revise editor or quality controller. A fresh or last set of eyeballs to go through the finished news product, especially its textual or graphical elements.

Call me a division of labour junkie but at times you really give your best to ensure the product is error free, only to be made aware of some very embarrassing albeit elementary mistakes, just when it's impractical to redeem your grammar soul.

Now here is the funny part though. Most local newspaper or magazine publishers I know of, do have somebody designated to do the work of a revise editor or quality controller. And yet grammatical or even factual errors do abound in finished products.

There is usually an elaborate chain of people, nay, 'journalistic 'experts or gatekeepers, strategically placed in the assembly line of a newspaper, from the reporters, to the news editors, from the sub editors to the managing editor. And oh yes, somewhere along the line is often a revise editor.

It thus beats me, why a newspaper story should pass all these checks and publishing pit-stops and still hit the newsstands, stating that Uganda is among the major East African cities, like Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.

Neither is it that easy to comprehend why a 'famous' football team from Germany should be referred to as 'Hamburger!!' (Oh the horror, given it's the team I have been supporting for donkey years).

But then again, as a fellow error-prone journalist, I shouldn't be too quick to pass judgement.

ODE TO MEDIA INTERNS: AWAY WITH RECYCLING OLD FACES

2011-12-03T22:03:00.001+03:00

There's something unnerving for many people, whenever they hear or see a new face reporting news on television. But for me, as long as the new talent has the broadcasting basics covered, it's quite refreshing to encounter a new personality delivering news. So hail media interns and down with recycling of old hands or is it faces?

Granted, the vast experience and professionalism possessed by veterans in the media industry, is a major asset. But it should always be remembered they too, have a shelf life that will one day approach the expiry date.

And this is the more the reason why media houses should invest in unearthing more journalists to keep the assembly line going, it being more expensive in terms of time, energy and finances spent on training, notwithstanding.

In actual fact, because of their deep knowledge of the industry and hands on experience in the news business, it is the veterans that might actually cost an arm and a leg to contract and maintain.

But this is not to say the budding journalists full of zeal and determination to succeed, but lacking a name or brand recognition, should be exploited by being overworked and underpaid.

Far from it. Prevailing market rates should ideally be reflected in any compensation packages, because it is quite diabolic and shameful for a self-respecting news establishment to take advantage of vulnerable interns, who are eternally grateful for having been given a chance, to the point of being blind and insensitive to their own welfare needs or fair rules of engagement.

And of what use is it for a media company to help nurture this fresh talent only to let it go, especially on the not so rare circumstances, where it could be letting something special slip away?

Not every intern can or should be absorbed into full time employment. But a professionally done assessment should be able to pinpoint the future gems, just by evaluating their growth potential.

Like the Jamaican crooner, Winston Hussey, musically observed:

"Long cut draw sweat. But short cut draw blood."

So enough with the musical chair business in the Kenyan media scene. Let's give deserving fresh talent a chance.

NEWSROOM NONSENSE: WHY CONFIRM THE OBVIOUS?

2011-11-26T15:07:00.001+03:00

Confirmation. A very important piece of detail that every serious news establishment should try to get, before publishing or broadcasting, especially potentially controversial issues. Stories from the newsroom have an uncanny way of at times finding their way to courtrooms and confirming facts could be a legal lifesaver. But confirming the obvious is over-stretching it.

A television news item, for example, shows images (at times graphic ones) of a shootout between suspected criminals and the police. There are a couple of bodies, firearms and spent cartridges being alluded to or shown directly.

Then you hear the reporter saying something like, 'The police have confirmed the incident..."

Is it that the images just splashed and the reporter's account of the incident are not to be believed initially, or is it that for them to be believable, somebody in 'authority' has to confirm them first?

Using that annoying statement of 'Confirming the incident,' even for a print story, adds no value whatsoever in the overall reportage, not unless perhaps there was a denial of what is being reported, in the same story.

So if the Kenya police, for example, deny there was a grenade explosion somewhere, in the on going war on Al Shabaab, and the reverse is true, it would be perfectly alright to mention the Kenya Defence Forces, as having confirmed the incident.

Why then confirm that which has not been denied in the first place, like what is witnessed in many a Kenyan news story? I just don't get it.

Perhaps it is a hangover from our political past, when information meant for public consumption, had to be dispensed with all protocol observed, lest one found oneself on the foul side of the dictatorial divide.

GREAT ANTICIPATION, UNFULFILLED EXPECTATION: A NEWSPAPER'S IAAF NIGHTMARE

2011-11-17T16:32:00.001+03:00

It would have been a great story. Celebrating another fine run by a Kenyan long distance athlete. All indications had showed Vivian Cheruiyot was going to be crowned the world's finest 2011 female athlete, and an article had been written in advance. But alas, the IAAF declared a different winner, just as the earlier story was about to appear in print.

The result. Embarrassing, yet almost inevitable. The highest selling newspaper in Kenya hit the stands with two contradictory stories. One proclaimed Vivian's win and explaining in great details, her exploits in 2011and the elaborate award ceremony in Monaco. It was the centre pages' main attraction.

The other story, tucked in the sports pages at the back of the Sunday paper, had a totally different and more accurate account of what had transpired at the IAAF award ceremony. Vivian had been vanquished.

The honour of the best female athlete was bestowed on Australia's Sally Pearson, with Jamaica's sprint sensation Usain Bolt running away with the finest male athlete title.

So, it was almost practically impossible to completely change the content of the Sunday paper's Lifestyle magazine, carrying the erroneous story of Vivian winning the title, that was all set to appear just as Pearson was being declared the winner, on the preceding Saturday evening Kenyan time.

And the situation was made worse by the fact that both stories were written by the same person.

Should the popular paper have shelved the inside section in light of the latest development? As aforementioned, this was probably not practical.

Should it have withheld the new input to avoid contradicting the now misleading anticipatory article? No. otherwise it would have no business being in the news business.

But I strongly feel there should have either been an apology or explanation, even if as a footnote, somewhere in the Sunday paper, because that would have helped minimise the confusion to readers and speculation and castigation thereafter, especially on online social platforms.

POWER OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM A LA KTN

2011-11-11T14:32:00.000+03:00

It has become a television news phenomenon, widely praised for its bold and courageous reporting. Rarely do you find the public expressing fears about journalists exposing themselves to serious potential harm, in the course of their work. And that goes to show KTN's investigative team's recent expose on Kenya's biggest drug haul was top-notch.

Dennis Onsarigo and Mohamed Ali's painstakingly undertook to piece together information touching on sensitive issues regarding what they allege to have been an elaborate government cover-up, in the wake of the largest narcotics seizure in Kenya.

Critics can point out the stories were more of personal accounts or opinion than unconfirmed facts, or that even the narration style of the two reporters was irksome, but there is no denying the expose was stinging, focused and incisive.

I salute the KTN duo for a job done exceptionally well. Below is a sample of the reactions about their story, in the social media.

INTERNEWS DIGITAL JOURNALISM WORKSHOP

2011-11-02T10:10:00.000+03:00

INTERNEWS DIGITAL JOURNALISM TRAINING

SOLUTION JOURNALISM FOR DEPTH AND PURPOSE

2011-10-27T17:18:00.000+03:00

Journalists are chroniclers of major occurrences that are measured against the yardstick of known news values and found to be worthy of bringing to the attention of their audience. A new model of Solution Journalism seeks to transform media coverage to make it have more depth and purpose.

This would especially be helpful in Africa, where both local and international media coverage is always often dominated by negative news about this and that problem, with a very heavy dose of doom and gloom-inspiring content.

Very rarely do you find a lead story that is positive, one that would make the audience smile, laugh or cry...genuine tears of joy. I know for example, if Kenya wins gold in a major global competition, that nowadays is guaranteed of commanding the number one TV news slot.

This shows that in such moments, there is recognition that the feel good factor carried by such stories is beneficial and more important than the deaths, disease, conflict and other calamities, including what the politicians have been up to, that regularly hog the airtime and newspaper front pages

Solution Journalism would thus be a welcome addition in our situation, because where a problem is highlighted, (and there are always very numerous), a deliberate attempt will naturally be made to point to a way out of whatever predicament, disaster or misfortune being captured as news.

As eloquently argued by Ann Babe, writing for the Centre for International Media Ethics :

"The media, when solution-oriented, can actively function as a platform for social innovation and positive change."

Moreover, most local media outlets do try to balance the good and the bad sides of an issue, but often they are treated as separate stories, e.g., famine in one part of the country and surplus harvest in another part.

The challenge then is to make one story out of the problems and solutions. I've for example received many calls, after a needy case is highlighted in a TV news story, full of inquiries about how help can be channelled to the person in need.

But if this detail was also captured in the news story as well, then the impact and subsequent assistance pledged would be greater.

Like the name suggests, Solution Journalism is a gem that can bring back the glitter in news coverage.

GADDAFI: FROM REPORTEDLY KILLED TO DEAD

2011-10-21T17:22:00.000+03:00

Muammar Gaddafi is dead. He was formerly reported killed, after first being said to have been captured and wounded, in his hometown of Sirte. That was how this story was covered by the international press, with every care being taken not to appear too certain, about the fate of the ex-Libyan leader.

Whereas it is commendable for the media to want to first confirm its facts, it reaches a point, in my opinion, when making reference to unconfirmed reports throughout, ceases to have its original value.

Why would CNN for example insist on first having a confirmation from the US government about Gaddafi's demise, and keep mentioning this fact over and over again in their coverage, while acknowledging that Libyan sources had confirmed Gaddafi's death?

In my part of the world, waiting for a confirmation from the government on any issue, would take close to forever, and you might end up getting the complete opposite of what actually happened. That could perhaps explain why the CNN modus operandi astounds me.

Below is a sample of how this story was first covered by the global media, in the initial stages.

MADE IN KENYA TV SOAP: BORING OR BUBBLY?

2011-10-16T17:11:00.000+03:00

It is no longer a secret. Television soap operas are some of the most popular programmes in Kenya, which explains why every local channel has a catalogue of them. Along comes a made in Kenya TV soap, which could either be bubbly and popular like foreign imports, or similarly boring to some people.

It seems those who hate soaps do so with a deep passion, whereas fans passionately follow the unfolding drama so religiously, so much so that their tears could flow freely just from watching a character's misery unfolding.

And men need not pretend any more that soaps are for dames and madams. A good number of avid followers come from the masculine side of the gender divide.

As a matter of fact, I have had the opportunity of answering a very late caller to NTV news desk, who was bitterly protesting that the soap being aired at that point was a repeat. A quick time check told me it was approaching midnight. And the voice was distinctively male.

So, will ' Kenya's first soap' continue to tickle the fancy of viewers, with the usual mix of people losing their memory only to gradually regain it to the detriment of the lead actor or actress, a glamorous wedding between people with sinister motives camouflaged as love, lot's of crying, and other staple soap plots?

Or will the interest wear out as the plot thins out?

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE COMES HOME: AFRICA

2011-10-07T21:39:00.001+03:00

It probably is not fair to say the Nobel Peace Prize comes home, back to Africa. But the 2011 women winners being announced just a day before Prof. Wangari Maathai, Kenya's and Africa's first female recipient of the coveted award, is accorded a state funeral, calls for a special exemption.

I also deliberately choose to overlook the fact that the Nobel honour was split between two daughters of Africa, Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and peace activist and fellow countrywoman Leymah Gbowee, with Tawakkul Karman of Yemen.

I believe it is a befitting sendoff to Prof. Maathai, to not only have the efforts of women recognized but that they also come from the African continent.

Maathai's legacy will of course endure perhaps to the ends of times, and her place in global history is assured. But the fact that there are more women in her mould only makes the world a better place.

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, after all has at the moment the exclusive honour of being Africa's first female Head of State and becoming a Nobel laureate just goes to confirm her leadership and visionary qualities.

That selfish shout-out for the African continent aside, it goes without saying that it also took great courage for Yemen's Tawakkul to head the Women Journalist Without Chains and lead her country's push for women's rights and democracy.

Here's is a toast then to all the joint winners of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.

THE NEWS DIAMOND: A KENYAN NEWSROOM EXPERIENCE

2011-09-29T14:42:00.000+03:00

The News Diamond model comes highly recommended for the 21st century newsroom. It still being an uncharted territory in this part of the world, I set out to find what new experience the model offers, within the confines of a Kenyan newsroom.

In the morning hours, shortly after been assigned to do a TV news story about plans to legally allow Kenya's intelligence officers to eavesdrop on private telephone conversations, I sent out an Alert in NTV's Facebook and Twitter account, with the aim of soliciting comments on the topic.

And the almost instant response, with some very compelling arguments for or against spy agents being allowed to tap people's phones, made me realise how involving the online community can favourably shape a news story, in its formative stages.

It is a pity that the NTV website is still an old-fashioned static one and so for the Draft stage, I wrote a quick-fire blog post that was hosted here in my personal blog, anchored by twitter comments harvested by a Storify article on the same subject, which I had earlier published. This elicited more comments from the blogosphere.

At this point, which was well into the afternoon hours, I could not do a proper Article or news Package, as recommended in the News Diamond model, because I had to schedule and follow up on TV interviews with a couple of experts.

I had in the meantime again linked my blog post on the subject to the NTV Facebook page, thanking the followers for their comments and inviting them to tune in that evening to watch the TV story. This again spawned more reactions on the subject.

And later that evening when I did the TV news piece, I had hoped to incorporate some of the rich online comments into the story to be aired, but was unable to because of time constraints. I did give it a mention though.

The Analysis or Reflection and Context stages thus were all hinged on that television story. And as for interactivity, I can quote the SMS, telephone and twitter messages I received after the story was transmitted.

Customisation stage could be covered by having the news clip posted on Youtube, and this blog post, which should possibly enable users to tailor-fit the information contained in my story, according to their respective needs.

And that is my energy-sapping but wonderful experience of the News Diamond model in a Kenyan newsroom.

ALLOWING STATE SPIES TO LEGALLY TAP PHONES: SHOULD KENYA GO THE PATRIOT ACT WAY?

2011-09-28T13:43:00.000+03:00

A draft of the National Intelligence Service Act seeks to legally empower state spies in Kenya to listen in on private telephone conversations. Similar to the Patriot Act in America, the aim is to proactively seek to contain crime.

Human right activists are likely to raise a storm especially given that the Bill of Rights in Kenya's new Constitution safeguards rights to privacy from being infringed, even by state organs.

But there are those who feel that if the proposed surveillance will help keep citizens safe and curtail criminal activities, then that is a greater good, and the intrusion their privacy is a minor detail.

Will the needs of state security override individual's right to privacy in this instance? Opinion is somewhat divided as shown below, from a selection of views by Kenyans.

PROF. WANGARI MAATHAI: THE SPIRIT LIVES ON

2011-09-27T16:46:00.000+03:00

The world is mourning the passing of a modern day Kenyan legend, a champion of environmental conservation and fierce fighter for social justice. And even these words cannot begin to describe Prof. Wangari Maathai.

My first personal encounter with her was in 1997, while working for a local NGO, when I was tasked with monitoring her then campaigns for Kenya's presidential elections, as well as the Tetu parliamentary seat, which she both lost.

But despite such setbacks on the political sphere, her trail-blazing global fame soared, buoyed by her zeal for matters environmental. This was to culminate in her clinching the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.

Prof. Maathai continued to scoop accolade after international accolade. I vividly recall attending one of the occasions to bestow her in absentia with an honour in Cape Town South Africa, and the awe that struck me, when she expressed her gratitude via a recorded video link, to clapping invited guests in a foreign country.

As her television reporter, I did interview her a number of times, the last of which was at the sidelines of an African Union conference in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Her clarity of thought, when discussing pertinent issues was amazing and her steadfast focus on protecting mother nature was always a joy to highlight.

Farewell Prof. Wangari Maathai. The world is so much greener because of you and your spirit, legacy and inspiration will endure till the ends of time.

MORBID FASCINATION WITH DEATHS: LESSONS FOR KENYAN MEDIA FROM AMERICA

2011-09-20T13:24:00.002+03:00

How many people have died? That's a very common query put to sources or reporters by news editors, whenever a tragic incident occurs. And the number of those killed religiously becomes the most important element in the subsequent story. Isn't this morbid fascination with deaths by Kenyan media out of line?

Most unfortunately, the past few days have been full of tragic news in this country, ranging from loss of lives in a fire tragedy, to deaths from consumption of illicit brews, multiple road accidents and even a collapsed building that was still under construction.

Whereas it is the role of the media to report such occurrences, I just find the manner in which this noble duty is being carried out to be very wanting, because of what almost amounts to an obsession with giving tragic news a hyper treatment.

And such reportage is very often made worse by the seemingly inability of the local press to get facts right, before splashing the number of those killed in this or that tragedy. It's therefore not surprising for one media outlet to quote one figure of the fatalities, while another states totally different numbers, about the same news story.

The lesson from America I'm suggesting, comes from the way the air race exhibition crash in Nevada was reported. That piece of horrifying breaking news first only indicated there were 'mass casualties,' and a couple of deaths.

Lessons for Kenyan media from America

Compare that with how news of the Sinai fire tragedy in Nairobi was initially clogged with all manner of confused estimations of the number of those who had perished.

Apart from spreading panic and possibly exacerbating the trauma of those affected or their relatives, let alone the gory images that were carelessly being screened on TV and later published in the papers, such news coverage depicts a media with very dubious ethical standards and warped sense of patriotism.

It's almost as if the local media prefers to nonchalantly give as much gory details as possible in a sickening misconception that this will deliver higher ratings/ readership or circulation figures.

What about the damaging perception about our country that such mishandled tragic news can potentially create in the global arena? How can this boost investor confidence? How about credit ratings for the country?

And it really makes no sense to always be quick to condemn the western media about their overtly negative coverage of news from Africa and then continue in the same vein, when telling our own stories.

SEXUAL HEALING ON KENYAN TV: CONNECT AND GET CURED?

2011-09-15T11:44:00.000+03:00

Sex sells. That has got to be one of the most tried and tested concept in mass media circles. But ironically, a lot of effort is also directed towards maintaining acceptable decency or modesty levels in society, apparently to protect the public from getting too much of what they crave for.

In comes a daring television show that seemingly is succeeding in bringing down the remaining bastions of television taboo.

The interest generated by the K24 show has generally been quite healthy, and once one gets past the initial shock of hearing 'bedroom matters' being discussed openly and unabashedly, one begins to appreciate indeed, there is a pertinent need being addressed.

But predictably, this boldness in highlighting sexuality issues is raising morality and ethical concerns that in the end lead to that eternal question: just how much is too much?

Below is a cross-section of views from social media networks.

NEWS PRESENTATION 101: THE NTV COUNTY EDITION WAY

2011-09-05T16:35:00.002+03:00

In yet another phenomenal departure from your usual news presentation, the news anchors of NTV County Edition have been dazzling viewers with their tasteful traditional outfits that reflect the culture of the community from where they are broadcasting from.

In a commendable effort to fit in and indeed depict the seriousness given to the strategy of devolving news to the very grass-root level, the anchors have bequeathed a much needed appreciation for the diverse nature of Kenya's ethnic communities.

It is a marvel to watch this mode of county news presentation, given its added authentic feel and how the anchor introductions seamlessly flow into the video clips of the main stories, in a very contextualized fashion.

It is a welcomed deviation from the very common suits for men and formal wear wear for women, which predictably oscillates between skirt or trouser suits with brightly coloured tops.

I am of the school of thought that feels it looks awkward for a male TV reporter, e.g., to be telling a sports story and then appear in a tie and suit, when doing a piece to camera from the stadium or whatever sports arena.

So the idea of donning traditional outfits is quite refreshing and also communicates the fact that NTV County Edition is not seeking to indulge in parachute journalism, where they just land in a part of Kenya and then pretentiously seek to appear to know all there is to know about a given region.

Instead, one gets the feeling that the crew is trying hard to first understand the stories they are covering and the values of their host communities, knowing too well that they are outsiders at the very least, before relaying the same to an expectant national audience.

It is indeed a joy to watch regional news sugar-coated with such an underlying sense of focused treatment, designed to bring out all the issues in an enlightened yet humble mode of presentation, devoid of any negative pre-conceptions.

And that in essence, is the beauty, strength and enduring appeal of NTV's County Edition