Covering elections an especially challenging task for the media

Journalists cover a past event in Mombasa on January 10, 2014. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Editors say when both sides of a political divide accuse them of bias then it is proof they’re doing a good job, that is, they do not favour one side.
  • Their investigative or analytical stories provide readers with greater knowledge of their environments.
  • Other functions and roles of the media, include correlation, transmission of values, agenda-setting, status conferral and socialising.

Last Friday, I aired the views of Prof Caxton Muune, who claimed NMG had been “captured” by Nasa in its coverage of election demonstrations. Muguna Ntumbari wrote the same day to say, on the contrary, it’s Jubilee that had “captured” NMG. This is what he said:

 “I read your article in today’s paper and I agree that NMG’s coverage is somewhat biased in its political coverage. But unlike Prof Muune, I think it favours Jubilee.

Case in point: During the run-up to the mess that was the August 8 elections, NTV used drones to cover Jubilee’s campaigns while they used regular cameras to cover Nasa’s campaigns. The assertion that NMG has been ‘captured’ by Nasa is absolute hogwash. In my humble opinion I think it’s the other way round.”

Editors say when both sides of a political divide accuse them of bias then it is proof they’re doing a good job, that is, they do not favour one side.

However, impartiality is not enough. The media have many other functions and roles.

INVESTIGATIVE STORIES

Mr Ntumbari hinted at some of them in his comment on other aspects of NMG journalism. “On a different note, I have been reading the Nation since way back, even before Wilfred Kiboro became the head honcho and I think you should come up with a sister publication that focuses on human-interest stories,” he said. “You once had the Daily Metro that went the dodo way a few months later. It’s time to revamp it to counter the Nairobian and lastly the two Kamaus (Ngotho and John) in the Sunday Nation deserve a pay hike they are a great resource.”

He was alluding to at least two other functions and roles. Communication theory textbooks describe them as diversion (media as entertainment) and surveillance (media as an information watchdog).

He said he would like to see more human-interest stories. Such stories provide diversion. He values the Kamaus. Their investigative or analytical stories provide readers with greater knowledge of their environments.

SOCIALISING

Other functions and roles of the media, include correlation (presenting solutions to solve problems and interpreting news events), transmission of values (educating, socialising and holding up a mirror to society to reflect standards of behaviour), agenda-setting (establishing the issues in the minds of the public or telling people what to think about), status conferral (creating prominence for certain issues or people), socialising (demonstrating dominant behaviours and norms).

The list illustrates the pervasive nature of media effects, that it’s almost impossible to visualise a modern society without the mass media.

Indeed, surveys over the past few years have shown the media are the most trusted institution in Kenya, at times only rivalled by religious leaders and civil society.

Most people in Kenya used newspapers, radio and television, as well as social media, either directly or indirectly, to access news and information about the campaigns that led to the repeat election held on Thursday.

CREATING AWARENESS

The media had a critical role in shaping and influencing elections. It played an important role in creating awareness and informing the public about their political choices.

 The media had an especially challenging role in covering the elections. It called for not only accurate, thorough and impartial coverage, but also for educating the public and providing a platform for debate and ventilating of issues. Perhaps the most challenging was the use of experts in discussing the issues and educating the public.

Indeed, the media have a critical role in a democratic society. Elections are not just freedom to vote. They are about free flow of information, candidates, parties, policies, and the process itself.

The media need to provide information to enable people to make informed choices. To do so, the media must maintain a high standard of professionalism, accuracy, and impartiality.  If you voted yesterday, I trust you made an educated choice with the help of the media.

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