When Teacher Tabichi did not make the front page headline

What you need to know:

  • This was Kenya’s big win — one of its proudest moments. Leading newspapers in the UAE carried the story as their main front-page news.

  • Other news media, including the New York Post, UK-based Guardian, Daily Mail, and the BBC gave the story prominence that overshadowed the coverage provided by the Daily Nation.

  • The Nation relegated the story to the bottom of page 2. The picture of Bro Tabichi that it used is bland and uninspiring.

Let me begin by giving my considered verdict: The Daily Nation failed its readers by not carrying the story of Peter Tabichi as its page one main news on Monday. On Sunday, the Nakuru-based maths and physics teacher of the Franciscan Catholic order won the equivalent of a Nobel Prize in teaching — the Global Teacher Prize 2019.

NEWS VALUES

The $1 million (Sh100 million) annual award is presented to an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession. The prize recognises the importance of teachers and the need to celebrate them. It acknowledges the impact of the very best teachers, not only on their students, but also the communities around them, according to its founders, the Varkey Foundation.

The patron of the prize is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai.

The story of Bro Tabichi, 36, winning the prize had all the news values of a front-page lead: prominence, proximity, competition, surprise, good news, big money, celebrity and impact.

He was feted after being named the world’s best teacher in a star-studded ceremony in Dubai. He beat 10,000 other nominees from 179 nations, including the United States, the UK, Canada, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, Italy and India.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed, who formerly headed Education, attended the ceremony. President Uhuru Kenyatta sent a video message hailing Mwalimu Tabichi as the story of Africa. Dubai Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum presented the prize. Australian film star Hugh Jackman emceed the ceremony.

PROMINENCE

This was Kenya’s big win — one of its proudest moments. Leading newspapers in the UAE carried the story as their main front-page news. Other news media, including the New York Post, UK-based Guardian, Daily Mail, and the BBC gave the story prominence that overshadowed the coverage provided by the Daily Nation.

The Nation relegated the story to the bottom of page 2. The picture of Bro Tabichi that it used is bland and uninspiring. It’s not a picture of the ceremony. The paper, however, announced on its front page the appearance of the story on page 2. But even that was tucked away at the bottom of the page.

The Nation considered the ping-pong of the ongoing war of words between Deputy President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as a better main story.

However, in subsequent issues, it atoned for its failure to give prominence to the award ceremony story. It published six articles that gave more details about Bro Tabichi’s achievement. Still, that was not enough to quieten readers, who have written in to say they expected better performance from the Nation.

“The Nation opted for a political headline. Why?” wonders Antony Irungu. Jerome Ogola says it’s not everyday that a Kenyan teacher wins a global award for dedication to his calling. He wrote: “How our scribes smell around for the latest political rumour but fail to notice an achievement of the award ceremony magnitude is difficult to comprehend.”

SENSATIONAL

Arnold Njagi says the media focuses too much on politics at the expense of news that touch lives and promote unity, national good and heritage.

“The Nation on Monday chose politics as the headline story instead of highlighting the big win by Peter Tabichi,” said Mr Njagi. “It’s not just about the $1 million but the fact that his work was recognised worldwide. Let’s focus more on news about people making a difference in the lives of others as opposed to politics.”

Wycliffe Makokha says he keeps wondering why all mainstream media relish using negatively sensational headlines, even when there are other positive and more deserving stories to use.

“What is it that made it impossible for the Peter Tabichi award story to be a front-page headline? Was it because as a lead story it could not bring the expected high sales from a political war of words headline?” Mr Makokha posed.

We can only conclude that the Nation gatekeepers misjudged the story and what readers want to read.

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